Following the news about Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless’ plan to partner with Google on a comprehensive search deal that will peg the search giant as the default search provider on Verizon devices, Nielsen Mobile reports that already 50 million U.S. subscribers search for information on their mobile phones and that Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is a favorite.

Google’s place in the mobile search food chain:
—61 percent of mobile Internet searchers say they primarily use Google, ahead of Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), which claims 18 percent
—40 percent of SMS searches use Google, ahead of Yahoo, which claims 27 percent

What about Verizon Wireless data customers?
—36 percent use some mobile search functionality, including 411 services
—11 percent use the carrier’s portal to navigate to search
—9 percent go off deck to search the mobile web
—9 percent use SMS text-message search services
—6 percent search through a branded carrier portal

• Verizon Wireless In Final Stages Of a Google Search Deal; Could Extend to Other