Tech startup Telly has announced that it is giving away 500,000 units of its new smart TV for free in exchange for constant ads.
Owners of the free Telly TVs will have to watch ads constantly while streaming TV shows and movies on its dual-screen smart TV, the company said in a Monday press release.
Telly CEO Ilya Pozin claimed that Telly’s unique business model is facilitated by the dual-screen smart TV’s ability to provide an equal exchange of value between advertisers and consumers.
Users can reserve their free smart TV at freetelly.com and Telly will ship the device this summer. Telly’s TV is currently available only in the U.S.
The TV comes equipped with a 55-inch 4K HDR screen, a built-in five-driver soundbar, and a nine-inch second screen situated underneath.
Telly’s AI-powered voice assistant allows users to operate the TV with simple voice commands, such as setting timers, asking questions, and bringing up information on their fantasy football roster.
The built-in camera, sensors, and microphone also allow users to video-call friends, family, and watch content together, as well as play more than 40 video games and enjoy motion-tracking fitness programs.
Furthermore, Telly users can plug in other connected devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV as its TV software comes with an Android TV streaming stick.
Telly Has a Retail Value of $1,000
The company claimed that its TV has a retail value of $1,000. In fact, Telly is a high-end TV that gives users their TV experience.
“Don’t be fooled by the free price. This is by far the most advanced television ever developed,” Pozin said.
“Consumers will never look at their television the same way again after Telly transforms the TV from a monitor on the wall into the most powerful and useful device in the home.”
However, the free cost of the TV comes with the caveat that users must agree to give back certain data to Telly, including ad engagement and viewing habits, that will be analyzed by Telly to offer more targeted ad opportunities to customers.
Other things Telly will track include “search queries, settings preferences, applications you open, purchases or other transactions you make, buttons you select, the time, frequency, and duration of your activities, the physical presence of you and any other individuals using the TV at any given time, and other usage data [sic].”
Notably, Telly’s policy page states that customers who opt out of tracking will be charged for the TV, although the price is not specified.
Digital TV Market to Continue to Grow Amid Surging Demand
The global digital TV system-on-a-chip (SoC) market is projected to grow from $8.6 billion in 2021 to $28.2 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8% from 2022 to 2031, according to a recent report by Research and Markets.
Factors driving this growth include the increasing demand for smart and power-efficient electronic devices, rising disposable income in developing countries, and the growing popularity of in-home entertainment solutions.
“The growing popularity of solutions in developed and developing countries has resulted in the adoption of in-home entertainment solutions, which is expected to provide significant growth opportunities for the market,” the report said.
“Economic growth and middle-class population growth in developing countries such as China, India, and Brazil drove the increase in disposable incomes.”
Improved SoC technology offers enhanced performance and power efficiency for digital TV solutions with features such as potent artificial intelligence engines, motion compensation, and picture-in-picture technology.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
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