By Joan Bennett

Yandex has become the default search engine on Windows Phone-based handsets in Russia. The company has partnered with Nokia, Samsung, HTC and Microsoft to provide its search services on the latest Windows Phone smartphone models on the country’s mobile market.

Yandex’s search engine is now installed on Samsung Оmnia W as well as on Nokia’s Windows Phone-powered Lumia 800 and Lumia 710. The Samsung Оmnia W is already available for purchase in Russia. Nokia’s smartphones will hit the stores in December. Also, following the launch of Windows Phone-based Titan, Mozart and Radar smartphones last autumn, HTC is planning an update release with Yandex as the default search engine on its handsets.

In October 2011, Yandex became the main search provider on bada-powered smartphones available in Russia and the CIS (Samsung bada, unveiled in 2010, is a smartphone platform created for a wide range of devices.) Yandex develops apps and services for all major mobile operating systems.

Yandex is an Internet company in Russia, operating the country’s most popular search engine and the most visited website. Yandex also operates in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Turkey.