Free has not announced a new TV box with its Freebox Ultra, so we will have to make do with the Play Pop of the Freebox Pop, released in 2020.
This Tuesday, Free announced its new Freebox Ultra, a new box equipped with Wi-Fi 7 and an up and down start at 8 Gbps. However, contrary to its usual practice, the operator of the Iliad group was careful not to present a new TV box going hand in hand with its Freebox Ultra. It must be said that the box will be marketed with a box already well known to freenautes.
Indeed, even if the Freebox Ultra is a brand new server-side box, it will indeed be supplied with the 4K TV box of the Freebox Pop, the Player Pop, this one launched in 2020 already. It must be said that the oval shape of the new box is strongly reminiscent of the round shape of the TV Player Pop box.
As a reminder, this round TV box features the Android TV system, allowing everyone to install the applications they want directly on their TV box. By default, it will also launch, at startup, the Oqee by Free application, launched in 2020 with the Freebox Pop and which will allow you to benefit from all television services – with 120 channels including Canal+ live – and Free’s own interface.
A TV box limited to Wi-Fi 5
On the connector side of the box, we are entitled here to an HDMI 2.0 socket, a Gigabit Ethernet socket, a power socket, an antenna socket and an SPDIF output for sound. On the front, the TV box benefits from a USB-A port and a microSD card slot. The box is, however, natively limited to 16 GB storage and Wi-Fi 5, even though the new Freebox Ultra benefits from Wi-Fi 7.
HDMI 2.0 requires, the box is limited to Ultra HD video output at 60 Hz. However, it supports both HDR 10 and Dolby Vision.
Obviously, the Freebox Ultra will also be supplied with the same remote control as the Freebox Pop, since they share the same TV Player Pop box. In this regard, no change is therefore expected.
A box that can be replaced by a connected TV
Free will, however, leave the choice to users who may decide not to take a TV box with their new Freebox Ultra.
Even if this will not reduce the price of their subscription, they will be able to decide, if they wish, to take advantage of the features of the TV box directly on their connected television or with a third-party box using the Oqee application available on Samsung TVs, Android TV and Apple TV.
Where to buy
Freebox Ultra at the best price?