It’s been rumoured for months, but we might finally be one step closer to finding out full details about a brand new rival to Sky Q and the latest Sky Stream box. The team at Freely confirmed early this year that they will be launching a dedicated set-top box, which will enable homes to access live content without requiring a monthly subscription. Freely currently offers access to over 40 live channels without the need for an aerial – that puts it in direct competition with devices such as Sky Glass and Sky Stream, which also use the web to beam content into living rooms.

One of the only drawbacks of Freely so far is that it has only been available to homes willing to purchase a new TV with the application pre-installed.

However, that seems likely to change soon. We already knew that a dedicated Freely box was on the way; now one has been spotted by the eagle-eyed team at Cordbusters, and it may launch soon.

The device appears to be called the Aura EZ 4K Freely Recorder and is being made by Humax – a company that has a long track record of producing set-top boxes.

Although still not officially confirmed, this Freely box suddenly appeared in a post on the Humax product pages – it has since been removed but it’s a clear indication that a device is on the way.

Humax has also confirmed to Cordbusters that it is “under internal testing and development”.

Full details will hopefully be announced soon, but it appears that the box will include the ability to record and store 1,000 hours of content along with streaming shows and movies via a broadband connection.

It will support full 4K resolution content and include an aerial socket so homes get both a Freely connection and access to a standard telly signal as well.

Right now, there’s no word on an official launch date, but hopefully, more news will be announced soon.

Freely wants to be the future of TV, and a box that brings this platform to all current TVs could certainly prove popular. Although Freely is taking aim at Sky, one thing it can’t match is the amount of content available.

Sky Glass Gen 2 and Sky Stream offer access to hundreds of channels, including premium sports and movies. Users do have to pay for this access, but it’s worth remembering that you’ll never be able to watch live F1 races or the Premier League via Freely.

For that, you will need a Sky subscription.