We may soon start to see more ad-filled customized lock screens on some Android devices
It looks like ads, to an extent, may soon become an unavoidable part of your Android phone experience. Glance, an Indian lock screen platform with a large user base in Southeast Asia, is expanding into the United States market. This platform essentially adds a rotating selection of news and advertisements to your standard lock screen in the form of a widget.
This move comes as smartphone manufacturers increasingly explore additional revenue streams beyond the initial sale of the device. Glance, which is backed by Google, could become a fixture on budget-friendly Android phones. The platform intends to partner with Motorola and Verizon in the U.S. for wider distribution, potentially putting Glance's customized lock screen experiences directly in the hands of millions of users.
According to a report from TechCrunch, the company has already seen success in Asian markets, boasting a reported 163 million daily active users. It's uncertain, however, how well this concept will be received by American users who may be less accustomed to heavily ad-supported services. While some individuals might appreciate the convenience of news updates and tailored ads directly on their lock screen, others might find it intrusive and a potential privacy concern.
Glance claims it doesn't gather personal information from users and instead relies on use trends to feed its recommendation algorithm. Additionally, it is important to note that although Glance is currently being shipped pre-installed on some phones already, such as the Moto G 5G and Moto G Power 5G, the app can be removed and/or the lock screen widget turned off. That said, Glance is reportedly also collaborating with Qualcomm to create a one-of-a-kind AI-powered lock screen experience, and that would be a different and unknown product than the one I've seen so far on these budget devices.
This news also coincides with a report from Android Police about manufacturers exploring the idea of placing ads on the lock screens of budget-focused phones. It seems lock screen advertising is a growing trend, and whether consumers will fully embrace this shift remains to be seen.
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