Advertisements—they are everywhere. In social media sites, games, and even the basic applications on our phone, our modern society is overwhelmed by a number of ads attempting to grab just a moment of our attention. In fact, there are so many advertisements in our daily lives that we often pay an extra fee to get rid of them.
However, Locket, newly launched in July, has brought an innovative twist to advertisements, and has changed what we would consider to be boring and intrusive to an opportunity that can instead be rewarding.
Locket is a free Android app that pays users to view advertisements. This unique app displays various ads on the lock screen and pays a penny every time the ad is viewed. After a glance at the advertisement, users will be able to either swipe left to continue to view the ad, or simply swipe right to continue. Both options will still earn them one cent for every advertisement they see.
Once people have accumulated up to $10, Locket gives the option to cash out through PayPal, receive a gift card, or donate to charity. The app also awards bonus payments to those deemed as “loyal users” and pays an extra dollar if anyone refers Locket to a friend. There is also an “Earn More” feature, which boosts customer earnings.
In order to keep users satisfied with having various ads as their lock screen wallpaper, Locket also makes sure that these advertisements are tailored toward its customers’ interests. The app ensures that the well-designed advertisements, all from advertising partners such as Amazon, Hershey and Spotify, are full-screen with high resolution images.
Of course, due to its recent release, the app also has several shortcomings. Initially, Locket had limited user earnings to only 3 cents per hour, which meant users could receive at most, a mere 72 cents per day. As a solution, the app’s new update, released on August 14, uncapped the limit and allows only a certain number of advertisements to pop up on the lock screen. However, the app continues to aim to provide enough advertisements so that everyone can earn at least $1 everyday. Also, because Locket is only available on Android phones, the team will also continue to explore other mobile platform options in 2014 in order to bring the app to the iPhone and Blackberry.
Just by casually checking their phones, students can earn up to a dollar day. Not only is it definitely innovative and unique, but Locket’s simple idea of one cent per advertisement can also be a great way for students to get a quick buck.