It almost feels uncanny that Qualcomm would be releasing an Android app, but here we are again with actually the chip maker’s second. This time, however, users might actually find Snapdragon Glance more useful as yet another lock screen replacement.
Calling it a lock screen, however, might be a bit of a stretch. It does take over the behavior of a lock screen in the sense that it shows up whenever you turn on your device’s display. However, getting from there back to your regular homescreen simply requires on a tap of the home or back button of the device. There is a setting, disabled by default, that will let you still go through your original unlocking security settings, making it feel like Snapdragon Glance is sitting on top of the lock screen instead.
If you can get past that oddity, then Snapdragon Glance might offer you just the right information you’d want in a single screen lock screen. You have time and date, weather, notifications, which need to be enabled manually, and even a shortcut to the camera. What Snapdragon Glance has apart from others is an “intelligent” suggestion panel at the bottom featuring your most used apps and contacts, which you can swipe up to reveal more suggestions, as well as an area for putting up your own favorite apps and contacts.
That last bit brings us to Snapdragon Glance’s strange requirement. It requires Qualcomm’s other Android app, Snapdragon BatteryGuru to be installed and running. BatteryGuru, which analyzes your usage habits in the name of optimizing battery usage, provides Glance the data for determining which apps and contacts to suggest. Qualcomm Snapdragon Glance might be an interesting take on a smart lock screen, but its requirements and odd defaults might make it harder to swallow than most.
Download: Snapdragon Glance on Google Play Store
