Telly, an organization that accepts promoting knowledge as an alternative of money for its TVs, has reportedly had a tough time getting its “free” TVs into individuals’s houses.
Telly debuted in Might 2023. Its dual-screen design can present adverts, even when individuals aren’t watching. Though the smaller, secondary display can be utilized for extra useful purposes, like exhibiting the climate or sports activities scores, its main function is to function a billboard south of the 55-inch main show. Homeowners can not disable tracking or cowl up the secondary display (or they need to pay for the TV, which Telly claims is price $1,000), they usually should fill out a prolonged, detailed survey to get one.
When it debuted its TV, Telly mentioned it anticipated to ship 500,000 gadgets that summer time. In June 2023, the startup said 250,000 individuals signed as much as get a Telly. In a 2024 press release, Telly mentioned that it deliberate to ship “hundreds of thousands extra in 2024.”
However a report from Lowpass this week, citing a “Q3 replace despatched to traders in November 2025,” mentioned the startup had 35,000 TVs in individuals’s houses at the moment. In Q2 2025, there have been 28,000 Telly TVs in use, the observe mentioned, based on Lowpass.
The publication reported that the investor observe suggests Telly will order 100,000 TVs from provider Foxconn and improve deliveries quickly.
Telly declined to remark to Lowpass and didn’t reply to Ars Technica’s requests for remark.
Delivery issues
So what provides? Primarily based on early registration numbers, it appears Telly has generated sufficient curiosity to ship greater than 35,000 TVs.
One challenge appears to be poor delivery. Per the investor observe that Lowpass reviewed, Telly claimed that FedEx delivered 10 p.c of its shipments of Telly TVs damaged. Since shifting to a special firm—seemingly Samsung partner RXO, based mostly on Reddit posts—fewer Tellys are arriving damaged, the corporate reportedly mentioned.
As Lowpass famous, dozens of on-line complaints declare that the free TVs, which ship immediately from Telly, have been damaged upon arrival. The Verge additionally reported receiving a damaged unit in September.
