Shopping seems to be such a big deal for phone makers these days. First, we saw how Circle to Search catered to those moments when you spotted an outfit or gadget in a video and wanted to instantly track it down. Now, Samsung is bringing a similar feature straight to your lock screen.
Through a new partnership with Glance AI, the brand is bringing personalized AI-driven shopping to over 50 million Galaxy phones. Whenever you take a selfie, Glance’s platform powered by Google’s Imagen 4 generator will generate photorealistic images of you wearing various outfits from more than 400 brands. Afterward, you can choose to buy it right from your lock screen or through the standalone app.
Reimagine your wardrobe with Imagen-powered lock screen AI
Glance AI is rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S22, S23, S24, and the latest S25-series phones. The rollout is happening in the US first, with the goal of reaching more eligible devices within the next 30 days. It's coming through the Galaxy Store as a standalone app and a lock screen component.
Luckily, it’s fully opt-in, so you're not going to be cursing at your phone because of the intrusion. The lock screen is an odd place to place such a feature, but perhaps, that's the point.
Your home screen, app interfaces, notifications, and even widgets are already saturated with content. The lock screen is among the last untapped surfaces on your phone and something you glance at dozens of times a day without conscious effort.
It also plays into the recent trends of pushing commerce closer to your default phone behaviors. With Circle to Search, you act on curiosity. With Glance AI, you act on seeing yourself in an outfit as soon as you wake your phone.
At the heart of Samsung and Glance’s new lock screen feature is Imagen 4. It's Google DeepMind’s latest text-to-image model. Unlike earlier versions, Imagen 4 can generate strikingly realistic images of people and other elements that make you question reality.
For that reason, Samsung chose it as the perfect model for a virtual try-on experience. However, it's launching specifically through the Galaxy Store, meaning other Android phones can’t get it yet. Hopefully, there's a wider rollout in the works for us.
Related: Android 16 brings a powerful new feature to Samsung
Glance AI lock screen feature is free… for now
Most of what the AI will serve is fast fashion. So while it feels like a potential money pit, you’re probably not about to accidentally lock-screen your way into a $5,000 Chanel bag. According to the company’s statement to Android Police, the app is currently free to use, and there are no ads or subscriptions.
Of course, if you buy something through it, that’s where Glance and its partners make their money. However, the key phrase is “at present”. That policy could change down the line, especially since Jio just invested $200 million to help Glance expand globally. Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited is a massive Indian telecom and digital services company, and it's one of India’s largest conglomerates.
