The partnership between Google (GOOG) and Samsung (SSNLF) has been a spectacular win for consumers, producing not just the best Androids, but some of the best smartphones ever. 

Now, as top executives from the world's mobile industry gather in Barcelona, Google is meeting with other companies in hopes that their Android devices can keep Samsung's leverage in check by providing legitimate competition, the people said. The internet-search company is hoping new Android devices from manufacturers such as HTC Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. can challenge Samsung, they said. [Wall Street Journal]

Samsung's emergence the last few years ranks as one of the more remarkable stories in the technology business. It wasn't so long ago that this was little more than a big OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supplier. Now it's the world's biggest maker of Android-based hardware. [...] For a company like Google, which has been able to call the shots for most of its (relatively) young history, I suppose it's a good problem to have — the flip side of success. [CNET]