Latest news with #Freely-powered
The Irish Sun
30-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Freeview successor finally launches Fire TV Stick rival with bonus exclusive free channels not found on Sky
FREEVIEW'S successor Freely will finally be made available as a Fire Stick-like dongle to plug into TVs with a mass of free channels. Telly lovers have been begging for the technology to be packed into a plug-in gadget instead of having to buy a brand new TV. Advertisement 2 Soon you'll be able to plug in and play Freely instead of buying a whole new TV Credit: Freely 2 The new device will serve as a new rival to the mighty Fire TV Stick Credit: Getty Freely, which launched last year, has only been available built into brand new TVs so far. The advantages over the existing Freeview service is you don't need an aerial to view some of the channels. Instead, you can use broadband and Wi-Fi to beam live channels into your house. Freely is run by Freeview's owner Everyone TV, which itself is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. Advertisement Read more about FIre Sticks BBC Director-General Tim Davie hinted that the technology could be turned into a "We are considering a streaming media device," Freely's first "plug-in and stream" gadget will launch later this year, Everyone TV said. TV platform maker Netgem is the first company signed up to produce a Freely-powered gadget. Advertisement Most read in Tech The exact price hasn't been shared yet but bosses said it'll be "affordable". "Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone," said Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV. RECENT CHANNEL ADDITIONS ON FREELY The Chase Saturday Night Every Night 4Reality 4Homes 4Life 5 GPs Behind Closed Doors 5 Bargain 5 The Yorkshire Vet 5 History 5 Crime Milkshake! 5 Police Interceptors 5 Cops 5 Trucking Hell 5 A&E 5 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Image credit: Everyone TV "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. "In partnership with Netgem, we're launching streaming devices to make it easier than ever for UK audiences to enjoy the nation's favourite TV, for free, on the TV you already have." Advertisement There are more than 40 live channels that can be streamed via Freely at the moment. But the firm has promised more new and exclusive channels will launch this year. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE WE REPLACE FREEVIEW Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun DTT - digital terrestrial television - is the system used for Freeview broadcasts today. About 18million homes still use it as their main way of watching TV. Before we even begin to think about switching it off, we have to make sure no one is left behind. So any internet-based alternative - Freely or otherwise - needs to be just as easy to install and use. Then there's the matter of broadband. The UK needs to have reliable broadband everywhere so everyone has access. Emphasis on reliable - no one wants buffering mid-way through a live football match. So not only will broadband need to be pretty much everywhere it will need to be fast enough to handle demand all the time.
Daily Mirror
15-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Sky faces another new rival that will offer UK homes a free way to watch TV
Sky is facing stiff competition from the new Freely TV service and now there are even more screens that feature this streaming service. If you want to watch TV without needing an aerial or dish stuck to your chimney then you won't find a much better option than Sky Glass. This premium telly platform, which also now includes a cheaper Glass Air telly, lets homes tune into hundreds of live and on-demand channels via a broadband connection. It's a tough TV to beat but it is being rivalled by Freely. This service launched last year and also offers an instant way to watch TV shows without an aerial. Since it was first unveiled, the list of telly manufacturers making Freely-powered screens has been increasing and now there's even more good news for those considering switching to it. It's just been announced that smart TVs powered by the Roku operating system will soon get Freely pre-installed. That means UK homes wanting to access the streaming platform will be able to choose Roku-powered models made by Sharp, JVC, METZ and Polaroid. This new partnership will bring Freely together with the Roku experience and offer advanced features including personalised content and discovery tools. Speaking about the changes, Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV, said: 'Offering freely on the Roku operating system is a major milestone for us, as we continue to expand reach for the free streaming platform. "We're delighted that as a huge global player, Roku has recognised the importance of easy and seamless access to public service broadcast content for UK audiences and I look forward to seeing Freely smart TVs with Roku in market this summer.' Does Freely fully match the Sky Glass experience? Freely does offer a comprehensive TV guide, recommendations and even a new backwards telly feature which lets you go back in time to find things to watch. It's fully powered by your broadband and even offers the ability to pause live TV. Once the compatible TV has been purchased, there are no monthly fees to pay, so you can watch shows, sports and movies without reaching for the credit card. READ MORE: Your iPhone will get a stunning new look and most useful free upgrade in years It's a decent way to watch the telly, but Freely can't match Sky when it comes to channels and overall features. Sky Glass offers instant access to premium channels, and there is also better integration with streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+. The firm's clever Playlists function also lets you store shows and movies to watch at a later date. One final thing to note is that Sky has worked hard on reducing the latency when watching live sport - that's something Freely can't currently match.
Daily Mirror
01-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
End of your aerial? New Freeview rival could soon offer a better way to watch TV
Freeview could soon be under pressure from a new rival that doesn't need an aerial. It's hard to argue that Freeview still rules the roost when it comes to watching TV without paying a monthly fee. This totally free platform features over 100 channels, which are all available via a standard aerial on your roof. Millions of homes across the UK now rely on Freeview for their nightly fix of entertainment but its days could well be numbered. More of us are now moving away from traditional methods of watching content and switching over to streaming instead. Sky recently confirmed that its Stream box and Glass TV - which receive live shows, sports and movies via an internet connection - are now its biggest sellers and now there's another way to tune into the telly. Freely, which is actually owned by the same team as Freeview, first launched last year and is slowly improving with more manufacturers including it in their screens and new features being added on a regular basis. It even recently received a boost which now offers a backwards TV guide which lets you find things to watch that have been previously aired. It's a smart system that's clearly getting a lot of investment, and now there could be an even bigger reason to consider ditching Freeview and that aerial that wobbles around on your chimney. It's recently been revealed that a Freely may soon start making a dedicated set-top box. For those not in the know, the only way to currently access this streaming service is to buy a brand new television with it pre-installed. Another issue is that some manufactures - such as LG and Samsung - haven't yet joined the Freely revolution and don't offer any screens with it installed. If a standalone set-top box arrived, it would fix these problems and make it seem far more enticing. Explaining more about the future, BBC 's Tim Davie recently said: "At the BBC we have been working hard to build digital platforms and content to meet changing audience needs, enriching our offer and welcoming the possibilities of a post broadcast world. "We think now is the time to confirm an IP switchover in the 2030s, setting out the conditions and providing certainty to ensure success. "The BBC can play a key role in innovating to ensure that the new world is inclusive and accessible. "To help, we want to double down on Freely as a universal free service to deliver live TV over broadband. And we are considering a streaming media device with Freely capabilities built in, with a radically simplified user interface specifically designed to help those yet to benefit from IP services." TiVo also recently hinted that they could also bring a Freely-powered set-top box to the UK in the future. This update would be a direct rival for Sky Stream, which also turns old TVS into fully smart content hubs. We don't have full details just yet, but watch this space.
