Ad-tech company Glance promises users will “consume what is shown to them.”

Horrific:

Glance’s app is a full-screen takeover of the lock screen. It looks a lot like a generic swipe-heavy social network, like TikTok or Snapchat Discover, but it only shows content from Glance. Imagine if every time you turned on your phone, you were first presented with an auto-playing video from a popular off-brand TikToker, and you get the idea. The company’s website promises “unparalleled reach” and “authentic engagement” from its captive audience. Naveen Tewari, founder and CEO of InMobi, gave a rather dystopian description of his company’s strategy to Forbes India, saying, “Consumers will move from seeking content to consuming what is shown to them.”

  • 201dberg
    23·
    3 years ago

    Custom OSs are gonna explode if that shit actually happens and there’s no way out.

    • jokeyrhyme@lemmy.mlOP
      21·
      3 years ago

      On the plus side, it’ll make surveillance capitalism and user-hostile design more visibly obvious

      However, instead of custom Android distributions or even Linux phones, I predict this will more likely increase iPhone sales instead

      • whoami
        15·
        3 years ago

        Yeah I think for your average person, iphone sales will increase if this does happen. For geeks and people who feel capable, you’ll custom roms and linux phones etc.

      • Sunshiner
        61·
        3 years ago

        What Chinese phone do you recommend? I’m thinking Huawei, wdyt?

          • Sunshiner
            4·
            3 years ago

            Thank you! Are there any limitations to what apps can’t be installed?

            • Muad'DibberMA
              5·
              3 years ago

              Anything works, its android, and you can install f-droid of course.

            • Idliketothinkimsmart
              5·
              3 years ago

              IIRC some of Xiaomi phones aren’t supported by US carriers (I’m not sure about other “global community” countries) though.

            • panic
              3·
              3 years ago

              The problem isn’t installing apps. It’s that if you need apps that rely on Google services they might not work properly or even at all.

            • Shrike502
              4·
              3 years ago

              Out of curiosity, what do you mean by “not very ethical”? Predatory corporate practices?

                • Shrike502
                  8·
                  3 years ago

                  Wait, I’m still confused, sorry. What you describe seems to apply to pretty much any electronics manufacturer, not just Xiaomi. I was specifically asking about them, do they stand out in some fashion?

    • lil_tank
      3·
      3 years ago

      I’ve been using Meizu for years although I consider other options for my next since their prices have rosen and they almost entirely removed the 3.5mm jack (deal breaker for me but maybe you’re fine with it)

  • PolandIsAStateOfMind
    231·
    3 years ago

    A headline below that i will drop here without comment:

    Florida once again has giant calamitous snails that spew parasitic brain worms

  • yxzi@lemmy.ml
    12·
    3 years ago

    This also means that phones need to be connected to the internet at all times, downloading stuff in the background… users are giving up control at an alarming rate

    • redtea
      5·
      3 years ago

      Convenient timing with that carrier offering a limited amount of ‘free data’ so long as wi-fi is disconnected.