Amazon has announced it will offer discounts on select Android phones - as long as you agree to view adverts on the phones' lock screens.

The online retailer sells other manufacturers’ phones, including the fourth-generation Moto G and Blu R1 HD. In an attempt to get customers more interested in buying those unlocked phones, it's now offering paid Prime members $50 discounts on each. The catch? Buyers have to view lock-screen ads similar to the ones shown on Amazon's Fire tablets and Kindle book readers.

That means the Blu phone will cost just $49, and the Moto G will cost $149. Also, for a limited time, you can save an additional $25 on the Moto G at checkout, discounting the phone to $124. These are huge price cuts, and it shows Amazon - despite being a phone maker itself in the past - is willing to work with hardware makers in order to better hawk their goods at customers.

Interestingly, these phones won't use Amazon services in place of Google. They'll of course offer Amazon apps for shopping, watching videos, and playing music, but you'll also have access to Google apps like Google Play Store, YouTube, Gmail, and Chrome. Check out Amazon's promotion page for more information about these smartphones including tech specs.

Keep in mind Amazon's ads will also appear below notifications that pop up on your lock screen. So, whenever you get a Facebook notification or whatever, you'll see an ad show up below it. These ads might push Amazon's own products, such as Kindle books, but they'll also be from other marketers. All the ads can be swiped away or dismissed.

It's not yet clear if Amazon's promotion is available outside of the US, though we've contacted the online retailer to learn more and will update when that information becomes available.

amazon will cut prices on android phones displaying its lock screen ads image 2