Why would Google license their photo processing to Samsung?
If they weren't going to sell their own hardware, wouldn't it make more sense to license it to any Android OEM who wants it as an optional extra-cost add-on?
I've never understood the point of Google making their own phones. It is a niche product that sells only a few million, and it competes with their own licensees - which only encourages them to want to break away by doing their own assistant etc. I guess Google feels invulnerable since there isn't an alternative OS Android OEMs could license instead, though if anyone could fork Android and make a go of it on their own it would be Samsung.