A startup called Telly wants to give away free 55-inch 4K TVs with constant advertisements on a portion of a secondary screen. You won’t have to pay anything as long as you’re prepared to put up with those commercials and share data.
The smaller panel also includes news, sports scores, and other helpful information, as Telly explains. You won’t have to stop a show in order to stay informed. The set contains a built-in camera, microphone array, sensors, and voice assistant that allow for video conversations and fitness apps that use motion-capturing technology. A sound bar is also included. There are also three HDMI connections available for you to plug in different media players, so you are not forced to use the company’s platform at all times.
The option to send a reservation request is already open on the company’s website, but only US citizens will be able to take advantage of this offer. The first 500,000 TVs are scheduled to come in the summer. Telly hasn’t provided complete specifications as of yet, but the set’s expected worth is around $1,000.
Given Telly’s leadership, the plan is not surprising. Pluto TV, Paramount’s free-to-watch program, was co-founded by company president Ilya Pozin. According to him, free TV makes viewers an “equal part” of the advertising system since they gain as much as businesses do.
The ad-supported strategy might not appeal to viewers who value their privacy and prefer not to reveal personal information. Additionally, there is only one size and configuration, so if you want a larger or higher-quality screen, you’ll need to seek elsewhere.
The introduction of Telly is part of a larger push to provide free TV content. Ad-supported streaming channels are available from companies like Amazon, Roku, and Tubi, and Google TV is incorporating several of these suppliers into its platform. The business model, of course, makes a difference. Ad-supported TV is viewed as a means to increase hardware sales by companies like Amazon and Roku, whereas Telly relies primarily on those commercials to generate revenue.
