Look, which operates a lockscreen platform targetting Android smartphones, is setting its sights on the U.S. market. The Indian startup lately commenced a pilot program in partnership with Motorola and Verizon within the U.S., with plans for a full launch within the nation later this yr, sources aware of the matter advised TechCrunch.
The Bengaluru-headquartered startup, backed by traders together with Google and Jio Platforms, has already made vital inroads in India, Southeast Asia, and Japan, the place it expanded final yr. Look’s expertise delivers a custom-made feed of reports, native occasions, sports activities updates, media content material in addition to interactive video games on to customers’ lockscreens with out requiring them to put in extra apps.
Android smartphone producers have confronted growing strain to spice up income in recent times amid fierce competitors and slim revenue margins on {hardware}. Initially, many of those corporations sought out new income streams to complement their core enterprise. Nevertheless, as Look’s lockscreen platform gained traction, coupled with its privateness stance, a rising variety of smartphone makers have acknowledged its potential as a strong software for differentiation, trade executives say.
Look doesn’t acquire private information of customers, as an alternative counting on utilization sample to tell its suggestion engine. It’s additionally working with Qualcomm to construct a novel AI-powered lockscreen expertise, based on one supply. That partnership, if it materializes, can even enable Look to considerably scale back the information it consumes for its customized feed and likewise transfer a lot of the processing to on-device.
Within the U.S., Look doesn’t plan to show adverts on the lockscreen, based on one of many sources. Look ships pre-installed on the machine, however might be simply eliminated.
Lockscreen and different non-app screens have gotten essential real-estates for smartphone distributors and types. “‘Surfaces’ exist even as we speak, pushed by 3 kinds of gamers — OEM-driven, OS-driven, and surface-first innovation pushed,” BCG wrote in a current trade report. “Gamers like Look are essentially the most attention-grabbing of the lot w.r.t. innovation in AI deployed, to serve related content material for a person each single time.”
Look’s lockscreen platform as we speak reaches greater than 450 million smartphones and is energetic on about 300 million of them, based on an individual aware of the matter.
Within the U.S., the eponymous startup plans to tie-up with extra telecom operators in addition to manufacturers together with CNN and the NBA, sources stated, requesting anonymity as the small print are non-public. The lately launched Moto G Energy smartphone within the U.S. shipped with Look’s platform. A Look spokesperson declined to remark.
The Indian startup’s lockscreen expertise has already confirmed profitable in driving person engagement and app installations for model companions. A nine-week partnership with Indian streaming service JioCinema final yr resulted in 9 million incremental app installs from over 100 million distinctive impressions, BCG wrote. The marketing campaign additionally focused dormant customers, resulting in a 12.5% improve in app opens and changing the set up base into day by day energetic customers, the report added.
