Paweł Koper
Imagine you walk into a shop and get a modern, 55-inch 4K television with a powerful soundbar completely free of charge. You don’t pay a penny... neither now, nor in instalments. Sounds like an online scam? In the USA, it’s a reality called Telly. However, the latest reports indicate that this “revolution” is just hitting a painful wall.
What is the Telly television? (Explained)
Telly is an unusual set consisting of a main 55-inch 4K LCD screen and a smaller display (Smart Screen) placed underneath it. This lower panel is used to view the weather, sports scores and – above all – to display continuous advertisements. Both screens are separated by a powerful soundbar from Harman Kardon, which guarantees sound much better than in standard televisions. The device also features built-in LED lighting on the back of the casing (similar effect to Ambilight but without dynamic backlighting) and two cameras that enable motion gaming and fitness exercises, although many consider them to be a tool for spying on household members. First impressions and unboxing can be seen on the YouTube channel of the user "David Di Franco".
Figures Don't Lie: "For Free" Is Not Enough
Although Telly promised that millions of units would reach homes, the reality described by Lowpass is brutal. So far, only 35,000 units have been delivered. That's a drop in the ocean of needs and a fraction of the promised 500 thousand.
Why don't people want free equipment? 3 main problems.
Surveillance: The device reports to the headquarters every few seconds about what you are doing in front of the screen.
Failures: As reported by the flatpanelshd and hdtvtest sites, as many as 10% of Telly televisions arrive at the customer with a cracked screen.
Costs: The production of such a complicated device (two screens + soundbar) is so expensive that the company cannot keep up with financing subsequent batches.
Would it pass in Europe?
In a country like ours, where hunting for bargains is almost a national sport, a free television sounds like a dream come true. However, Telly in Poland could end up on the pile faster than it appeared. The reason? Our almost allergic reaction to infringements on privacy and the European GDPR law, which watches over us even in our slippers in front of the television. While we love to save money, we love our peace of mind even more. Imagine the Champions League final or a climactic moment in a Netflix series, and underneath... an aggressive banner with a flashing promotion for nappies. It’s simply a recipe for chaos, not relaxation.
However, the worst part is a certain 'catch' in the terms and conditions – if you block advertisements (e.g. by cutting off the internet), you must repay the company the equivalent of the television, which is about $1000.
The case of Telly shows that free hardware has its dark side. It turns out that privacy and peace of mind are worth more than a few hundred pounds that we would have to spend on a regular television in a supermarket. The model of "television for data" is currently losing to the model of "I pay and have peace". And it seems that nothing will change in this case.
Source: Lowpass, HDTVTest, FlatpanelsHD, YouTube @daviddifranco
