Telly’s "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they’re actually delivered

I

Irresistibl

Telly's TV business model, touted as "free" with advertising data instead of cash, is facing shipping and quality issues. The startup had initially promised to ship 500,000 devices in the summer of 2023 but has reportedly delivered only around 35,000 units by November 2025.

A recent investor update revealed that Telly has experienced poor delivery rates, with 10% of shipments arriving broken due to FedEx. Since switching suppliers, few more TVs have been received damaged. However, dozens of customers have reported receiving broken units.

Despite the challenges, Telly's ad-based business model seems to be generating significant revenue. The company reportedly made $22 million in annualized revenue in Q3 2025, equivalent to around $52 per TV in use per month. This is notably higher than what other budget TV brands report.

However, concerns about the quality and reliability of Telly's products persist. Some users have reported receiving TVs with poor image and audio quality or experiencing issues with the included streaming stick and AI avatar home screen. Others are worried about the potential for invasive uses of the integrated camera and mic.

Telly's "free" premise may not be as far-fetched as it initially seemed, but its early success is largely due to strong demand rather than the product itself. As Telly continues to scale, it will need to address these challenges and concerns to build a loyal customer base.

While some argue that Telly's ad-centric business model is forward-thinking, others see it as a threat to user privacy and data security. The company has raised $350 million in debt funding to support its growth, but the path ahead remains uncertain. For now, it seems that Telly's "free" TVs are more of a curiosity than a mass-market success story.
 
Ugh I dont get why ppl r still usin tellys lol theyre so buggy i mean like 10% of shipments arrive broken wth fedex and its not just me, dozens of customers have reported same issues 🤦‍♂️. And whats up wit them "free" tellys? Sounds like a scam to me. They r makin bank from ads but still deliverin low quality products 🤑. Need to step up their game or ppl will keep movin on 👋.
 
it's fascinating how companies like telly can make 'free' seem appealing at first glance... I mean, who wouldn't want a shiny new tv without breaking the bank? but have we stopped to think about what that really means? do we value convenience over quality and reliability? are we trading our private lives for a sleeker product design?

and let's not forget about the elephant in the room – data collection. telly's ad-based model may be raking it in, but at what cost? is $52 per tv per month really worth sacrificing our digital innocence? i think that's what's really being sold here: a sense of security and comfort, rather than a genuine value proposition.

we need to ask ourselves: what does 'free' even mean anymore? is it just a marketing gimmick to get us hooked on the idea of getting something for nothing?
 
🤔 I mean, think about it... people are willing to take the risk for a "free" TV, and it's actually making them some cash 💸. The ad data is like, super valuable, right? 📊 And Telly's got that down pat. But at what cost? ⚠️ Those poor delivery rates and quality control issues... 🤦‍♀️ I feel bad for all those customers getting broken units.

And can we talk about the camera and mic integration? 📱 It's like, one thing to have it in the ad data, but another thing entirely to have it in your TV 🤔. User privacy is a big deal, you know?

I'm not sure if Telly's gonna make it work, but they're definitely shaking things up 💥. For now, I'll just be over here... 📺 watching from the sidelines 👀
 
Ugh, this Telly startup thing is just wild 🤯. I mean, they got off on the right foot with the ad model and all, but shipping issues like 10% broken units? That's crazy 😂. And don't even get me started on the quality of their TVs... poor image and audio? Come on! 💔

I think part of the problem is that people are just so hungry for cheap tech that they're willing to overlook some major flaws. And Telly's banked on that with their "free" TV model 🤑. But now, as they try to scale, they gotta figure out how to make it work without being a joke 😅.

It's also weird that people are downvoting all the reports of broken or poor-quality TVs just because they're worried about data security and ad tracking 🤖. Like, come on! You get what you pay for, right? 💸

Still, I gotta say, $22 million in revenue ain't bad 🤑. Maybe Telly will figure some stuff out and become a legit player in the market... but until then, I'll be keeping an eye 👀
 
I mean, I'm kinda surprised they're doing alright considering all these quality issues... 🤔 Like, yeah, $22 million in revenue is nice, but what's the point if people are getting broken units left and right? 📦👎 It's like, Telly wants that sweet ad cash, but can't even get their product to ship without major problems? 😩 And the customers are just sitting there, waiting for something that might not even work... 🤷‍♀️ I guess we'll see how they scale it up and fix these issues. Until then, I'd say Telly's "free" premise is more like a wild experiment gone slightly awry 😅
 
I think Telly's struggles show how hard it is to make something seem 'free' without sacrificing quality. They got lucky with demand in the beginning but now people are starting to notice issues with their products 🤔. It's like, yeah, that $52 per TV might be a decent chunk of change for some users, but what about those who get broken units and poor image quality? Not exactly the best user experience 👎. I'm curious to see how Telly addresses these concerns, but right now it feels like they're just trying to scale without really perfecting their product 🚀
 
I'm kinda feelin' bad for Telly 🤔. I know some ppl might be thinkin' they're just takin' advantage of us, but I think they're tryin' somethin' new here. Advertisin' data instead of cash, it's like a win-win, right? They get revenue and we get free TVs... at least that's what they promised 😂. And yeah, the quality control issues are no joke, but maybe they just need to tweak things a bit.

I mean, $52 per TV in use per month is actually pretty sweet 🤑. And it's not like other budget brands are doin' much better. But at the same time, I get why some ppl might be worried about the camera and mic thing... we don't wanna be trackin' every move, right? 🤷‍♀️ It's a good point.

Telly's got $350 million in debt funding, so they're pretty serious about growin' this thing. And yeah, maybe they're just relyin' on demand for now, but once they get the product right... who knows, maybe they'll be onto somethin' 💸
 
OMG, 35k units is like super low for a summer 2023 goal 🤯... and FedEx has some major issues with shipping TVs? 🚚😬... but those $22 mil quarterly revenues ain't bad at all 💸! Still, customers are reporting some pretty major quality issues 📺🔇... the AI avatar home screen is supposed to be cool, but if it's buggy, that's a big no-no 🤖😡... and what about those cameras and mics? too invasive for my taste 🚫💻
 
I'm loving this whole 'free' TV thing for Telly, but let's be real, they're still getting roasted by customers on social media about the quality issues 🤦‍♂️. It's like, yeah, I get it, your ad business model is genius, but shipping 35k units in 2 years? That's not exactly setting the world on fire 🔥. And don't even get me started on the camera and mic concerns - invasive uses? No thanks 🚫. The more they scale, the more I think they need to focus on getting those production issues sorted out before they start selling their 'free' TV magic to the masses.
 
I'm so underwhelmed by Telly's TV business model 🤔. Sure, they're making bank off those ads, but at what cost? Like, literally, how many TVs have they actually shipped that aren't broken or defective? 35k units in four years is not exactly a ringing endorsement of quality control.

And don't even get me started on the whole "free" thing. I mean, isn't that just code for "we're collecting all your data and selling it to advertisers"? It's like they're giving you a TV but taking away your privacy in exchange. Not cool 🙅‍♂️.

Telly needs to step up their game (pun intended) if they want to build trust with their customers. And honestly, I'm not sure how much of this ad-driven model is going to scale before it all falls apart. They're playing with fire when it comes to user data and security 🚨. Only time will tell if they can pull off the "free" TV magic for more than just a novelty phase 🔮.
 
I'm so underwhelmed with Telly's TV business model 🤔... I mean, who thought shipping 500k units in 2 years was realistic? 🚚😳 And to think they're making $52/month per TV... that's crazy 💸! But honestly, the quality control issues are super concerning - broken TVs showing up left and right? 🤦‍♀️ That's not what I call "free"...

I guess it's good they're generating revenue, but at what cost to users? The whole ad-based thing might seem forward-thinking, but is it really worth sacrificing our personal data for a free TV? 📊 Not sure about me...
 
🤔 I'm not surprised to hear about all these shipping and quality issues with Telly's TVs. It sounds like they're still trying to iron out the kinks before they become a household name 🏠. The fact that their ad-based business model is raking in $52 per TV in use per month is definitely attention-grabbing, but you can't ignore the concerns about poor image quality and those invasive camera and mic issues 📺👀. It's like they're playing with fire when it comes to user data security 🔥. I guess only time will tell if Telly can keep up with their ambitions or if all this hype will be for naught 😐.
 
🤔 I gotta say, Telly's situation is kinda wild. On one hand, they're raking in cash from ads, and that's no joke. $22 million in Q3 2025 is some serious cash 💸. But on the other hand, you've got a bunch of customers complaining about broken TVs and poor quality control 📦😩. And let's be real, when your product is shipping out damaged at a rate of 10%, that's gotta be worrying for both customers and investors.

I'm not sure if I'd say their ad-based business model is revolutionary or just smart marketing 🤷‍♂️. The fact that they're making so much money from ads might make people think twice about the value of their product, though. And those concerns about user privacy and data security? Yeah, that's some heavy stuff 🤯. Telly needs to figure out how to balance its growth with customer satisfaction and trust issues.

It's interesting that they're raising a bunch of debt funding to support their expansion – that can be both good and bad 🤑💸. On one hand, it shows they're committed to growing and innovating. But on the other hand, there's gotta be some risk that this will all come crashing down if they can't get their product right.

All in all, Telly's situation is pretty complex, and it'll be interesting to see how they navigate these challenges 💡.
 
😐📺 Telly's TV troubles are no surprise! 🤔 They promised too good to be true, didn't they? 🤑 But hey, at least they're making some cash 💸 and generating revenue quickly. That $22 million Q3 2025 is no joke 💸😅. Yet, quality issues and customer complaints 📣 are a major concern. Poor delivery rates and damaged units 🚨 aren't exactly what you want to see when buying a TV 📺.

I'm all for innovative business models 🤝, but Telly's ad-based approach is making people uneasy 😬. What happens to the data collected from those "free" TVs? 🤔 Is it safe? 🤷‍♂️ The camera and mic combo has users worried 🚫. Telly needs to sort out these issues ASAP 💨 or risk losing customers 📉.

The $350 million in debt funding will help, I guess 💸, but scalability is key 📈. Can they deliver reliable products without sacrificing user experience? 🤔 Only time (and a lot of customer patience) will tell 🕰️.
 
I'm telling ya, back in my day we didn't get all this fuss over free stuff 🤯... err, I mean, a "free" TV with ads. It sounds like a dream come true, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows, folks 🌞🌨️. 35k units is like, what, 1% of the initial goal? That's some major shipping issues right there... and quality control woes to boot 🚨💔.

Now I'm no expert, but $52 per TV in use per month ain't bad, I guess 💸📊. But when you think about it, that's like getting charged an extra $500 for your TV every year just because the manufacturer can't figure out how to make 'em without breakin' 🤦‍♂️.

And don't even get me started on the whole camera and mic thing 📹🔇. I mean, who wants a TV that's always watchin' them? That sounds like some sci-fi horror movie stuff 🎃👻.

Telly needs to figure out how to deliver quality products without sacrificing user privacy 👍💻. Until then, it's all just a bunch of hype and a bunch of broken TVs 📦😩.
 
Ugh, I'm so frustrated with this whole situation 🤯! I mean, who wants to buy a TV that might break the first time you use it? 😩 And what's up with all these issues with the camera and mic? That's just creepy 💀. I get that they want to make money from ads, but at what cost? 🤑 My thing is, if you're gonna charge us for something, make sure it works like a charm! ⚡️.

And don't even get me started on the quality control... or lack thereof 😴. 10% of shipments arriving broken due to FedEx? Come on! That's just unacceptable 🤯. I mean, Telly's making bank off these ads, but what about the customers who are stuck with a lemon TV? 😤 Not cool.
 
🤕 I can imagine how frustrating this must be for all those customers who've been waiting for their Tellys and getting broken units instead... 😔 It's like, you wanna watch your favorite shows and play games on the go, but you're stuck with a wonky TV that doesn't even work properly 📺😤 And I get why there are concerns about the camera and mic - it's just not right to have all that data being collected without our explicit consent 🙅‍♀️

But at the same time, $52 per TV is a pretty penny, and if they can figure out how to deliver on their promises, maybe Telly will be onto something 💡 It's like, who wouldn't want a free TV with sick ad data? 🤔 But it seems like that magic won't quite happen until they sort out the quality control issues... 🚨 Fingers crossed for all those customers who are just waiting to get their TVs working properly 🙏
 
🤔 I mean, think about it - Telly's ad-based business model is like the future of consumerism, right? 📺 But at what cost? We're trading our personal data for "free" stuff, and now we're seeing the dark side of it. Those 10% delivery rates aren't just a shipping issue, they're a sign of where our priorities lie as consumers. Do we value convenience over quality? And let's be real, if Telly can make $52 per TV in use per month, what's to stop them from selling our data on the black market or using it for nefarious purposes? 🤑 It's like, are we really getting a better deal than paying upfront and owning something that's ours alone? I'm not sure...
 
🤔 I'm kinda surprised they're raking in $22 million per quarter with so many shipping issues 🚚💨. It just goes to show how much people want those free TVs, even if it means dealing with some hassle 🙄. But let's be real, the fact that they're making so much cash from ads is still pretty wild 🤑. I've got a buddy who pre-ordered one and got a dud 😩, but he's not giving up on Telly yet. Maybe they just need to tweak their supplier game and get those customer satisfaction scores up ⚡️. One thing's for sure, this is a company to keep an eye on 👀!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top