What you need to know
- Reports suggest Glance is preparing to debut in the U.S. "later this year" following its pilot program with Motorola and Verizon.
- Sources state Glance will not capture data, but will instead leverage a user's "patterns" to offer recommendations.
- Glance states it will not show ads in the U.S., opting for news stories, and it will look to offer a subscription service for "premium news."
Google-backed Indian startup Glance is preparing to finally make its U.S. debut, bringing a unique lock screen experience to Android.
Unnamed sources reportedly told TechCrunch that Glance has started a "pilot program" with Motorola and Verizon in the U.S. Glance works to deliver recommendations to users like ads, news articles, and more on the lock screen. Sources state the company's platform does not collect or use user data.
Instead, Glance operates off a user's "patterns" in order for the software to operate.
Moreover, the platform is supposedly discussing ways to build an AI-backed lock screen experience with Qualcomm. Such a move would help Glance reduce the amount of data it requires to function while also moving to on-device processing.
With Glance moving into the U.S. from India, there are plans to collaborate with telecom operators, CNN, and the NBA. The lock screen experience will reportedly arrive "later this year."
A statement from Glance to Android Authority says the company "does not intend" to ads on consumer devices in the U.S. Glance will side with offering a subscription service where users can pay for "premium news" on their lock screens every month.
It's worth noting that users will have the ability to disable Glance on their device once it officially arrives.
Android Central has reached out to Glance regarding more information surrounding its subscription service. We did not hear back in time for publication but will update this article once we hear back.
The pilot program source alluded to for Glance in the U.S. has already arrived on some devices, including the Moto G Power 5G. In our Moto G Power 5G 2024 review, Glance's appearance on the device was questionable at best, and it felt a little intrusive. What's more, the platform tosses news recommendations at you, which seems a little redundant, considering Google's Discovery page is a swipe away from your home screen.
Fortunately, you can disable Glance on the phone, but we found that the service would occasionally produce a full-screen prompt on the lock screen, encouraging you to re-enable the feature.
We first heard about Glance in 2022, and it's not entirely clear what's taken the company so long to arrive in the U.S. It was stated two years ago that the company amassed 400 million users before it set eyes on the U.S. market.
Glance will seek to make a profit through the aforementioned subscription and if users interact with its "product of the day."
