A new startup called Telly seeks to put free two-screen TVs in consumers' homes through the sale of anonymized data and constantly-displayed advertising.
Founded by Pluto TV co-founder Ilya Pozin, Telly announced Monday that it will begin accepting initial reservations for 500,000 ad-supported free TVs, and according to Telly's website, the 55-inch 4K TVs will feature two screens, an integrated sound bar, privacy videoconferencing camera with shutters will be included.
The two-screen display will feature a stable advertisement on part of the smaller lower display, which Telly calls a "Smart Screen."
In an interview with The Verge, Telly's chief strategy officer, Dallas Lawrence, said that ads can be shown on both displays even when the TV is not in use.
Revenue from ad sales will pay for the free TV set, which the company values at around $500 in a postscript to its terms of service.Since the first Internet-connected TVs began to be introduced in large numbers in the mid-2010s, advertising on smart TVs has become almost ubiquitous.
According to a press release from Samsung's partners, advertisers spent more than $15 billion on connected TV ad buys in 2021.