Lock screen ads are a popular way for mid- and low-budget smartphone makers to subsidize costs, but Americans have largely been able to avoid them until now. Get ready for that to change.
If you haven’t heard of Nothing, I don’t blame you. The Android phone company made waves back in 2022, largely on the back of its founder, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, but it only recently started making phones on par with flagship devices like the Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy. Mostly, the brand has instead become known for its mid-range accessories and budget phones, which pack in a lot of power for their price points, but otherwise stand out through trendy and minimalistic designs. It’s a smaller market, but a loyal one.
That’s why it’s a bit odd to see the company put both its minimalism and fandom at risk by putting ads on its lock screens, via a new “Lock Glimpse” feature.
Added in Nothing OS 4.0 late last week, when turned on, the feature will show you one of a rotating selection of wallpapers, which all feature linked content via text at the bottom of the image. For instance, a wallpaper showing a strawberry sundae might look spiffy, but in practicality, it’s essentially an ad for a page with a strawberry ice cream recipe.
23·4 days ago