Telly (TV set producer)
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | Ilya Pozin |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Ilya Pozin (CEO) |
| Products | Smart Display |
| Website | telly |
Telly is a Los Angeles-based TV set producer. The Telly television set became available to the public in 2023 and is distributed for free to users in the United States.[1][2] Telly was founded by Ilya Pozin in 2021. The TV set contains a soundbar that shows advertisements that are uninterrupted, whatever the main screen may be showing. The large amount of commercials are reported to be in place to pay for the expenses of the free product.[3]
History
[edit]Telly was founded in May 2021 by Ilya Pozin who previously co-founded Pluto TV.[4][5][6]
In May 2023, Telly initiated a waitlist and began distributing its ad-supported TVs to initial users in July.[7][8]
Telly's investors include Rich Greenfield, a general partner at LightShed Ventures, and Gary Vaynerchuk's VaynerMedia.[8]
Features
[edit]Telly is a TV set that includes a 55-inch primary display, and a secondary display called Smart Display, located between the main TV and a soundbar, that continuously shows ads, regardless of the main screen's content.[9][10] Smart Display also displays widgets such as sports scores, news tickers, weather updates, and stock prices.[10][11]
Telly has a camera for video calls, a voice assistant, and built-in games.[1][12] It also contains a sensor that measures viewer engagement, three HDMI inputs, two USB inputs, and a tuner for over-the-air broadcasts.[9][10]
Telly runs on its own operating system, TellyOS, but is also compatible with other streaming devices like Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and Apple TV.[10][13]
Telly ads are actionable, and a user can buy products or services directly from the television.[13]
Controversy
[edit]Telly has faced scrutiny over privacy issues, as the secondary screen collects data on viewing habits and interactions with ads.[14] Critics have argued that Telly's business model relies heavily on data collection, which may raise concerns about consumer privacy.[15] In response, Telly has stated that it takes user privacy seriously and that all data collected is anonymized and used solely for improving the ad experience.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Pierce, David (October 10, 2023). "Telly has a plan to build the best TV ever — and give it away for free". The Verge.
- ^ Weprin, Alex (May 15, 2023). "A Startup From the Co-Founder of Pluto TV Thinks America Is Ready for Free TVs". Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ DeMuro, Rich (31 January 2024). "You can get this 4K TV for free, but there's a catch". KTLA. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Adams, Matt (May 15, 2023). "New company thinks it's time for free TVs–here's how to get one". WXIN.
- ^ Newman, Jared (15 May 2023). "Telly's wild idea: Free TVs with inescapable ads". Fast Company.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (May 15, 2023). "Startup Telly Plans to Give Away 500,000 Free 4K TVs This Year. The Catch? The Sets Have a Second Screen That Constantly Shows You Ads". Variety.
- ^ Roth, Emma (July 13, 2023). "Telly starts shipping its free ad-supported 55-inch TVs". The Verge.
- ^ a b Spangler, Todd (May 18, 2023). "More Than 100,000 People Registered for Telly's Free 4K TV in First 36 Hours, Startup Claims". Variety.
- ^ a b Wallenstein, Andrew (December 20, 2023). "Telly Founder Ilya Pozin Previews 2024's First New Features". Variety.
- ^ a b c d Roth, Emma (May 15, 2023). "This free TV comes with two screens". The Verge.
- ^ Roth, Emma (May 4, 2023). "Forget ad-supported streaming — here come the ad-supported TVs". The Verge.
- ^ Forristal, Lauren (May 15, 2023). "Hardware startup Telly launches a free smart TV entirely supported by ads". TechCrunch.
- ^ a b Welch, Chris (June 2, 2023). "Telly dual-screen TV first look: it's free and may be the future". The Verge.
- ^ Hoover, Amanda. "The True Cost of a Free Telly TV". Wired.
- ^ Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report (March 24, 2024). "Would you trade your privacy for a free TV?". Fox News.
- ^ Whittaker, Zack (May 16, 2023). "Telly, the 'free' smart TV with ads, has privacy policy red flags".