Telly introduces 2-screen TV: Why will they be provided for free (photo)

The Telly company has developed a 55-inch 4K TV with two screens and a built-in sound panel. In total, it plans to produce 500,000 such TVs and distribute them for free. You can pre-order today. Why would the company provide it for free? Everything is clear: the second screen will constantly display non-stop ads and informational widgets (sports scores, news feed, weather, stock prices, etc.).

The second screen, which the developer calls Smart Display, is separated from the main one by a sound panel. And advertising can be displayed not only on it, but also on the main one. Advertising cannot interrupt what a person is currently watching: the ad is only shown on two screens when no one is watching TV at the time.

“When the top screen is not in use, the ad unit can come to life in a funny way, connecting both elements. We literally think of hundreds of things to make advertising as attractive as possible,” said Telly chief strategy officer Dallas Lawrence in an interview with The Verge.

The company is also working on a Telly Rewards program where users can receive gift cards from services such as Netflix or Starbucks in exchange for participating in surveys.

As already mentioned, the diagonal of the main screen is 55 inches. The device runs TellyOS, the manufacturer's operating system, which does not yet support third-party streaming apps (Netflix, etc.). Therefore, the new TV comes with a free Android TV bundle with support for 4K content. The TV has 3 HDMI, 2 USB inputs and a TV tuner.

The TV also has a camera that lets you use "advanced free fitness apps with motion tracking." There is also support for the Zoom service and a protective cover for the camera.

Advertising seems to be not the only reef of this TV. The manufacturer also says it "may collect information about the audio and video content you watch, the channels and duration of viewings," as well as information about what exactly you do on the TV, what buttons you press, what search queries you send and etc. Furthermore, the company may also record "the physical presence of you and anyone else using the TV at any time."

If you don't want the company to collect your data, you either have to opt out of the TV or pay $500.

You can order one of 500,000 free TVs at freetelly.com. The company said deliveries will begin this summer.