Google LLC said Thursday it will launch a new service called "Google News Showcase" and spend $1 billion in teaming up with news publishers in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere.

The new service, which enables news organizations to curate and package their coverage within the Google News app, rolls out first in Brazil and Germany, with plans to launch in other countries in coming months. It will debut on Android devices before coming to iOS in the near future.

With the use of "story panels" and features such as timelines and links to related articles, the service "is distinct from our other news products because it leans on the editorial choices individual publishers make about which stories to show readers and how to present them," Google said in a press release.

The U.S. tech giant said it has already signed with nearly 200 news media organizations in countries including Argentina, Australia, Britain and Canada.

"The number of news publications will grow as we work to expand News Showcase to other countries including India, Belgium and the Netherlands," the company added.

With regard to the possibility of extending the service to Japan, a Google spokesperson said, "We are holding conversations with publishers in a number of countries across the world. At this stage we are unable to name all of those countries -- and don't have anything to announce regarding Japan."