16 December 2023 , 07:00
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Sky might have some of the best ways to binge on boxsets and view live TV but it's about to get a brand new rival. The Freely service was announced earlier this year and promises to beam content into living rooms using an internet connection rather than an aerial or dish drilled into the walls of your home.
"The new service will deliver the best live and on demand content from public service broadcasters and other free-to-air channels all in one place over broadband, for free for the first time," explained Freely.
Sky has been offering broadband-connected TV for a while with its Glass telly and latest Stream box using this technology rather than an old-school dish.
Now Freely has revealed more about how its upcoming platform will work and it looks very similar to Sky's offerings. In fact, Hisense has confirmed that it will be launching fully connected TVs early next year that will be powered by Freely.
That means owners will simply buy the television, connect it to their Wi-Fi and then get full access to a swathe of live and on demnand shows from the likes of the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5.
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Freely, which is owned by Everyone TV (the same team behind Freeview and Freesat), says it also plans to make the viewing experience as seamless as possible thanks to an intuitive TV guide and simple search options to find content more easily.
As well as confirming more about the impending release of Freely, the platform has also shown off its new identity and revealed a feature dubbed ‘Freemoji' which makes things feel a little more personal when switching on the telly.
Speaking about the upcoming launch, Amy Rowcliffe, Marketing Director, Everyone TV said:“We are excited to introduce the brand identity for our new TV proposition Freely. The name Freely represents the ability to watch for free but also the freedom to choose how and what you watch. We have a cheeky, modern, and expressive character - which we have dubbed ‘Freemoji'- that brings the brand to life as the viewer's welcoming and inquisitive companion. Happy, sad, excited, scared, great free TV has the power to make us feel every emotion and we wanted a character to represent this.”
And Arun Bhatoye, Head of Marketing, Hisense UK, added: “We're excited to partner with Freely, an innovative platform bringing UK viewers their beloved content across the latest Hisense TV line-up. This offering enables Hisense customers to enjoy major sports matches and live TV events through Freely, without the need for a TV aerial.”
Expect more news on an exact launch date and compatible TVs at the start of 2024.