The trend of moving away from traditional TV towards streaming services continues to gain momentum. Sky has been at the forefront of this shift, introducing innovative devices like the Stream box and Glass TV that utilize broadband to deliver live and on-demand content directly to homes, eliminating the need for a traditional satellite dish. While Sky’s hardware has been a dominant force in the market, there are now other alternatives emerging.
One such alternative is Freely, launched in 2024 and supported by the creators of Freeview. Freely offers free access to a variety of popular TV shows, sports events, and movies streamed over broadband. Initially, users required a new TV with Freely built-in to access the platform, which posed some inconvenience. However, this changed with the recent introduction of a Freely-compatible Pleio puck, enabling existing televisions to access the service.
Adding to the array of choices available, Manhattan has unveiled its first-ever Freely set-top box. Known for its widely-used Freeview boxes that offered features similar to Sky Q, Manhattan is now shifting focus with the introduction of the Aero 4K TV Streamer. Launching in February, this streaming-only device promises access to 60 live TV channels and over 75,000 hours of on-demand content without the need for a monthly subscription. Like Sky’s Stream box, all content is delivered via Wi-Fi, eliminating the requirement for an aerial or satellite dish.
Operating on the award-winning TiVo OS, the Aero not only provides access to Freely but also integrates popular apps such as Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and YouTube. Additionally, it includes TiVo+, offering approximately 400 free streaming channels and an extensive library of on-demand movies and TV shows.
Designed to support 4K picture quality, the Aero features voice search functionality but does not support program recording to a hard drive. Manhattan’s COO, Alex Arbab-Zadeh, commented on the launch, highlighting the convenience and affordability of the Aero in upgrading any TV without the need for replacement.
The Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer with Freely is set to be released in February 2026, priced at £69.99, and will be available for purchase from retailers including Currys, John Lewis, and Amazon.