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CES 2025: GlanceTV – A New Era for Android Users
For millions of Android users in Asia, checking their phones reveals more than just the time against a backdrop of cherished moments or pets. Instead, it showcases a blend of news updates, weather forecasts, and sports scores, all interspersed with advertisements.
This unique experience, known as Glance, made its debut on U.S. Android devices in 2024, receiving a rather tepid response from users and reviewers alike.
“It doesn’t provide any substantial value, and it simply doesn’t look appealing,” commented our Motorola Moto G reviewer after using Glance.
The creator of Glance, a company of the same name backed by Google, either disregarded our feedback or simply didn’t let it affect their plans. During CES 2025, Piyush Shah, the company’s president and COO, invited me to preview their innovative idea: Glance is making its way to televisions.
During my hour-long briefing, Shah and his team elaborated on their vision for the future of television, which closely resembles the Glance interface users see on their phone’s lock screens.
The official description of GlanceTV reads, “It’s a new experience that transforms idle, ambient TV screens into dynamic, AI-powered smart surfaces,” designed to display live, personalized content when the TV isn’t being actively used. This means when your television enters screensaver mode, it could instead showcase a carousel of updates that includes news headlines and sports scores, along with a clock.
Shah emphasized that Glance had formed partnerships with numerous content providers to generate the displays viewers will see. Although there are no plans to pull content from the web, he mentioned that sometimes generative AI would be employed to create images when a provider hasn’t supplied one.
While the demonstration did not feature any advertisements, it did include an interesting, albeit slightly eerie, application of generative AI technology.
With my consent, Shah uploaded a photo of my face into the GlanceTV system. A cloud-based AI model then inserted my likeness into various Instagram-like settings in casual clothing. The accuracy was remarkable—though my AI counterpart seemed to master the art of posing far too effortlessly.
The key aspect is that each image serves as a shoppable outfit, available through a click on your remote. Despite my aversion to shopping—mostly due to crowds and sales complaints—seeing an idealized version of myself in stylish clothes might just prompt a purchase.
I found myself captivated by GlanceTV’s flowing content, reminiscent of the screens you often encounter in elevators or waiting rooms. You can’t help but watch simply because it’s there.
This leads to the most significant contrast between the mobile and TV experiences of Glance. Our smartphones serve as tools—versatile devices that orchestrate much of our lives. For many, lock screen notifications offer a glimpse into vital apps. When our phones aren’t in use, they are either actively engaged or tucked away.
In contrast, TVs typically cater to passive viewing. Unless you’re gaming, screens primarily showcase content. When a show wraps up or you’re distracted by smaller screens while searching for something new, we’re indifferent when TVs switch to a screensaver.
Shah envisions that GlanceTV’s blend of tailored content will be so appealing—so engaging—you might just opt to keep your TV on consistently.
The integration of GlanceTV into your television setup—be it through a smart TV, set-top box, or other connected devices—will depend on the manufacturer’s choices. Like the mobile version, GlanceTV cannot simply be downloaded; it must be built into the operating system. Existing devices may receive updates, but new model releases will likely be the primary method for GlanceTV to reach homes.
It seems unlikely that Glance would strike a deal with Apple, as the company tends to guard its user experiences tightly. However, many manufacturers possess the financial strength and the necessary desire to transform idle screen time into monetizable content. The success of GlanceTV integration is likely with brands known for streaming devices.
Recently, just before CES, Glance announced its first integration with India’s Airtel. This setup is automatically enabled for over one million Airtel Xstream set-top box devices, with plans to expand to four million by mid-2025.
If you’re uneasy about the GlanceTV concept, rest assured you can disable it, just as you can with the mobile version. Nevertheless, I suspect that the engagement of this idle-time content display will outshine its mobile counterpart.
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