Telly, a company founded by Ilya Pozin, co-founder of Pluto TV, has introduced a unique television that is completely free by displaying constant advertisements on a second, smaller screen.
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This slim screen, known as the “Smart Display,” is positioned separately from the main TV screen, with a soundbar in between. In addition to ads, the Smart Display can show various widgets such as sports scores, news tickers, weather updates, and stock prices. Ads may appear on the right side of the Smart Display, as shown in the embedded pictures, or in the form of a sponsored news feed on the left side.
Pozin states, “When I co-founded Pluto TV, we created an entirely new model that offered amazing TV content to viewers for free. Now, with Telly, we are providing the actual television for free as well.”
While ads are not intended to interrupt the viewing experience on the main display, Telly’s chief strategy officer, Dallas Lawrence, mentions that ads may utilize both displays when the TV is not in use. Lawrence explains that when the top screen, known as the “Theatre display,” is not being used, the ad unit could come to life in a fun way that connects both screens. Telly is also developing “Telly Rewards,” a feature that will reward users with gift cards to services like Netflix or Starbucks for participating in on-screen polls.
The main display of the Telly TV is a 55-inch 4K HDR panel connected to the secondary display through the company’s operating system, TellyOS. Unlike most smart TV operating systems, TellyOS does not currently support third-party streaming apps like Netflix. To address this limitation, Telly comes bundled with a free 4K Android TV dongle that allows users to access any streaming service they desire. It is also compatible with other streaming devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and Apple TV. The TV includes three HDMI inputs, two USB inputs, and a tuner for over-the-air broadcasts.
In addition to the two displays, the TV features a camera located in the middle of the soundbar. This enables “free advanced motion-tracking fitness programs” and integration with Zoom. The TV comes with a privacy shutter, which is shipped closed and can be opened or closed at the user’s discretion.
While the TV is equipped with a camera and microphone and is funded by brands displaying ads, it raises privacy concerns beyond those associated with other TV manufacturers like Vizio, Roku, LG, and Samsung. Telly’s data policy states that it may collect information about the audio and video content watched, the channels viewed, the duration of viewing sessions, and how users interact with the TV. This includes search queries, selected buttons, and the physical presence of individuals using the TV.
