Glance, a subsidiary of Adtech giant InMobi Group, is planning to launch lock screen background on Android smartphones in the US within two months, a source familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.
The source said that the startup is working with wireless carriers in the US to collaborate and prepare to launch on some smartphone models next month, and requested anonymity because discussions are ongoing. happening and private.
Glance, valued at around $2 billion, serves news and media content as well as casual games on the lock screen of Android handsets. The service, which is already on about 400 million smartphones in Asian markets, is building a “premium service” for the US, where individuals tend to pay high, the source said. than for digital services.
A spokesperson for Glance declined to comment on Tuesday. The startup said in February that it plans to expand globally in the coming years.
The relationship with US carriers is a shift in strategy for Glance, which maintains direct relationships with most of the Android smartphone manufacturers in Asia. But in the US, carriers command most sales of smartphones and handsets that are sold with a mobile data plan.
The 3-year-old Glance is largely credited for identifying an opportunity to serve content on the lock screen, a prized real estate sector whose monetization has helped smartphone vendors. revenue growth in recent years. The startup company personalizes the content feed on the lock screen based on user preferences, making them deeply engage with the content.
In a move that further solidifies Glance’s model, Apple said last month that it will improved lock screen on iOS with widgets, real-time information and other personalized features.
The rapid use of Glance has helped it attract a number of well-known investors including Google and Jio Platforms, India’s largest telecommunications company with over 420 million subscribers.
In recent months, the startup has been testing live commerce on its platform and is also engaging with TV providers to bring Glance to their customers’ TV operating systems. Glance is also a core service in the Pragati operating system, Custom Android OS developed by Google and Jio Platforms for affordable smartphones.
