New Sky Q rival spotted that will offer homes a completely free way to watch TV
Freely is already trying to rival Sky’s Glass TVs, and now the telly platform is taking aim at Sky Q as well. The team behind Freely, which also runs Freeview, recently announced that it will be launching dedicated set-top boxes later this year, and now one has been spotted online for the very first time.
Until now, Freely has only been available to those buying a new TV from firms such as Panasonic and Hisense, with this service then coming pre-installed on the device.
That means if you don’t upgrade your telly, you won’t get access. However, that’s clearly about to change with the upcoming Freely boxes simply plugging into any existing screens.
This will then allow homes to tune into live and on-demand content without needing a dish or aerial stuck to the chimney, as Freely uses an internet connection rather than a standard over-the-air telly signal.
We’re yet to find out full details, but one box has just been spotted by the team at Cordbusters. It’s being made by Humax and, along with offering free telly access, it allows users to record shows as well – a bit like Sky Q. It also appears to be 4K-ready so will offer pin-sharp visuals that are four times better than standard HD.
Prices could start from under £250 for the box, which is pretty expensive. However, once installed, there are no further fees to pay as all Freely content is totally free to watch.
There’s no word on an exact launch date for all the new Freely boxes, but they could be in retailers very soon.
Speaking earlier this year, Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV, said: “Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone. Expanding to ‘plug-in and stream’ devices is an important and natural next step to ensure even more homes can enjoy the full Freely experience without the need for a TV upgrade or paid subscription.”
Of course, although Freely offers similar features to Sky Glass, Sky Stream and Sky Q, this platform can’t match Sky’s plethora of content. Freely doesn’t offer access to premium sports, movies or boxsets from channels such as Sky Atlantic or Sky Max.
To get all of that bonus content, you’ll need to sign up for one of Sky’s plans. These now start from as little as £15 per month and often include Netflix as well.
Want to know more about Sky’s devices?
Read our full Sky Glass Air review
