Smart lock screen player Glance has forayed into Japan, as part of its global expansion plan. The brand which recently launched in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, is planning its US launch soon. Its 230 million active users are primarily in India and Indonesia currently.
From being present on 450 million Android phones now globally, the company is eyeing 1 billion phones globally in two years.
On the Japan launch, Piyush Shah, Co-founder of InMobi Group, COO and President of Glance, said, “With Glance we are unlocking the power of the lock screen, using AI to transform passive lock screens into smart lock screens. Consumers check their lock screen over 100 times a day, but only use it for notifications, battery, and time. With Glance smart lock screen, they can stay on top of everything that interests them throughout the day. This could be a casual game that they love, latest score of a baseball game, the latest J-pop album launch, updates on their favourite celebrities and shows or news that matters to them – all without unlocking, downloading, or searching.”
He added, “We are truly honoured to launch in the Japanese market and hope to bring the best lock screen experience to consumers here.”
In Japan, Glance is now available to subscribers of SoftBank Corp using certain models of Xiaomi and Motorola smartphones. It aims to expand its presence to other carriers and Android smartphone brands in future.
Aditya Goyal, Senior Vice President and GM, Strategic Distribution Partnerships, Glance, added,, “For carriers and smartphone brands, Glance is an opportunity to differentiate themselves and boost consumer engagement through a unique experience. The top six Android phone brands have integrated Glance on their smartphones in multiple markets globally and are using it to deliver personalised experiences for their consumers. We are excited to enable carriers and brands in Japan to provide this same innovative and captivating mobile experience to consumers here.”
Initially, Glance consumers in Japan will be able to discover news, trending content, and gaming on their lock screens, powered by publisher partners who in turn get to reach consumers at scale. Several more top publishers are expected to join the platform in the coming quarters, informed a company statement.
Glance has established a team in Tokyo led by Masato Ito, Head of Market Development Japan, demonstrating its commitment to the market. This team is expected to grow significantly in the coming quarters, the statement added.
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