Glance, which operates a screen lock platform for Android smartphones, is setting its sights on the American market. The Indian startup recently launched a pilot program in partnership with Motorola and Verizon in the United States, with plans for a full launch in the country later this year, sources familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.
The Bangalore-based startup, backed by investors including Google and Jio Platforms, has already made significant inroads in India, Southeast Asia and Japan, where it expanded last year. Glance technology provides a personalized feed of news, local events, sports updates, multimedia content as well as interactive games directly to users’ lock screens without the need for them to install additional applications.
Android smartphone makers have faced increasing pressure to increase revenue in recent years, amid fierce competition and low profit margins on hardware. Initially, many of these companies were looking for new sources of revenue to supplement their core business. However, as Glance’s lock screen platform gained traction, coupled with its privacy stance, a growing number of smartphone makers recognized its potential as a powerful differentiator, executives say Of the industry.
Glance does not collect personal data about users, but instead relies on usage patterns to inform its recommendation engine. According to a source, it is also working with Qualcomm to create a unique AI-powered lock screen experience. This partnership, if it comes to fruition, will also allow Glance to significantly reduce the data consumed for its personalized feed and move much of the processing to the device.
In the United States, Glance does not plan to display ads on the lock screen, according to one of the sources. Glance comes pre-installed on the device, but can be easily removed.
The lock screen and other non-app screens are becoming crucial real estate for smartphone vendors and brands. “‘Surfaces’ still exist today, driven by 3 types of actors: OEM-driven, OS-driven, and surface-driven innovation driven,” BCG wrote in a recent industry report. “Players like Glance are the most interesting among the AI innovations deployed, to offer relevant content to a user every time.”
Glance Lock Screen Platform today reaches more than 450 million smartphones and is active on around 300 million of them, according to a person familiar with the matter.
In the United States, the eponymous startup plans to partner with more telecommunications carriers as well as brands such as CNN and the NBA, sources said, requesting anonymity as the details are confidential. The recently launched Moto G Power smartphone in the US comes with the Glance platform. A spokesperson for Glance declined to comment.
Glance has been planning to launch in the United States for at least two years, TechCrunch reported earlier. It is unclear why it was not launched earlier in the United States.
The Indian startup’s lock screen technology has already proven itself in driving user engagement and app installs for partner brands. Last year, a nine-week partnership with Indian streaming service JioCinema resulted in 9 million additional app installs from more than 100 million unique impressions, BCG wrote. The campaign also targeted dormant users, leading to a 12.5% increase in app opens and conversion of install base to daily active users, the report added.
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