Google and Glance have launched an AI-powered shopping experience on Android TV, available on supported devices in the United States, India and Japan.
The partnership brings shopping and discovery features to Android TV's ambient screen, which appears when televisions are not in active use. Users can switch from the default Google Backdrop to a Glance experience that presents curated lifestyle content and shopping options.
The service lets viewers browse content across categories including fashion, travel, food and wellness. It also allows them to shop for items featured on screen through retail partners connected to the platform.
Glance said the rollout creates a single commerce layer across mobile and television, linking browsing and purchasing across devices. It added that the system uses retailer integrations to present product recommendations through what it describes as an intelligent shopping agent.
Ambient screen
The move focuses on a part of the television experience typically used for static artwork, photos or limited information. Glance and Google are instead using that screen space to show interactive content designed for product discovery when the TV is idle.
Users must opt in before Glance replaces the standard ambient display, making the feature a choice rather than a default setting on Android TV.
Glance also said the platform includes visual discovery tools such as contextual lifestyle simulations and try-on visualisations. These features are intended to help users explore products in a more visual format before deciding whether to buy.
Wider reach
For Glance, the deal extends distribution of its shopping platform beyond mobile and into more households through connected television devices. It said the agreement builds on earlier partnerships with Airtel and DIRECTV.
Glance is backed by InMobi and supported by investors including Google, Mithril Capital and Jio Platforms. The Android TV arrangement gives it access to one of the larger smart TV software ecosystems, at a time when media and commerce groups are looking for new ways to connect advertising, content and transactions on the biggest screen in the home.
Television platforms have increasingly experimented with commerce features, particularly as streaming services and device makers search for additional sources of revenue and engagement. Shopping through connected TVs remains a developing segment, partly because consumer behaviour on television differs from mobile browsing and because platforms must balance usability with concerns about clutter and control.
Naveen Tewari, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at InMobi and Glance, outlined the rationale for the launch in a statement on the partnership.
"We are moving beyond the era of the 'dormant' screen," said Naveen Tewari, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at InMobi and Glance. "By combining the scale of Google's Android TV ecosystem with Glance's AI-first commerce models, we are turning the living room into a space where inspiration meets intent. Whether it's fashion, home décor, or travel, we're making shopping and discovery seamless, immersive and interactive."
The service is now available on supported Android TV devices in the three launch markets.