£70 Freely Box Sells Out Overnight: Is Freeview In Trouble?

Manhattan’s new £69.99 Freely streaming box has sold out at Currys in under 24 hours – mirroring the Pleio’s launch-day disappearance three months ago.

Freely is a streaming platform designed to replace traditional Freeview by delivering live channels through broadband instead of aerials – and the rapid sellouts suggest many viewers are ready to make the switch.

The Manhattan Aero launched on Thursday morning as the cheapest way to get Freely on any existing TV without replacing the whole set. By Friday morning, it was gone.

For those who missed out, we’ve spoken to Manhattan’s COO about what happened – and we have details on exactly when stock should return at Currys, Amazon, and John Lewis over the next couple of weeks.

The bigger question is whether demand will continue outstripping supply as more UK viewers discover an affordable entry point to Freely.

What Is The Manhattan Aero?

The Aero is Manhattan TV’s first Freely streaming box, announced just over a week ago and positioned as a direct competitor to the Netgem Pleio whilst undercutting that device by £40.

Freely – Everyone TV’s streaming platform – is designed to eventually replace traditional Freeview and Freesat by delivering live TV channels entirely through your broadband connection (though it is operated by the same company that operates Freeview and Freesat).

Instead of needing an aerial or satellite dish, you watch channels by streaming them – with the added benefit of scrolling backwards through the TV guide to access catch-up content directly from the EPG. 

The Aero delivers 60+ live Freely channels – BBC, ITV, Channel 4, 5, and dozens more – plus over 75,000 hours of on-demand content from the major broadcasters’ catch-up services, and doesn’t even have an aerial port – everything streams through broadband.

The device runs TiVo OS rather than Manhattan’s usual custom software, giving it access to major streaming apps – Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube – alongside Freely’s live TV integration.

Some major apps, however, like Sky’s NOW, Apple TV+ and Discovery+/TNT Sports are still missing.

The Aero supports 4K output, includes voice control, and features both WiFi 6 and Ethernet connectivity.

The biggest limitation? There’s no recording capability whatsoever. This is a streaming-only device designed for households where aerial reception is poor, second rooms without aerial connections, or anyone ready to embrace streaming-first television.

For viewers who want recording, Manhattan’s T4-R Freeview recorder remains available, whilst the upcoming Humax Aura EZ will offer Freely streaming alongside traditional Freeview recording.

Thursday’s Launch – And Rapid Sellout

The Aero went on sale on Thursday morning, with availability initially limited to Currys. John Lewis and Amazon were mentioned in Manhattan’s original announcement, but hadn’t listed the device yet.

By Thursday evening, some early buyers had already ordered and were arranging collection for Friday. But by Friday morning, Currys’ stock had completely disappeared.

According to Manhattan, Currys received “a large quantity” of devices for launch day. That they sold through in less than 24 hours suggests demand significantly exceeded expectations.

Alex Arbab-Zadeh, Manhattan’s COO, told Cord Busters: “We’ve been blown away by the response to the Manhattan Aero. Currys sold out within a day of launch, and the level of interest from our other retail partners has been fantastic.”

The company emphasised that the Aero isn’t out of stock with them – they have inventory in their warehouse ready to ship. It’s simply working its way through retailers’ delivery schedules.

When Stock Returns

For buyers wanting to secure an Aero, here’s what Manhattan has told us about restocking timelines:

Currys should be receiving fresh stock from the week of February 17, with availability expected around the 17th or 18th. (Check Currys current stock here)

Amazon should be receiving stock on Monday, February 10, though exactly when it goes live on the site likely depends on their warehouse processing times.

It’s my understanding that Amazon will have a low initial quantity but is likely to place repeat orders rapidly if it sees strong demand. (Check Amazon availability here).

John Lewis is scheduled to receive stock later in February.

The timings aren’t guaranteed – we’ve seen instances in the past where products became available days after they were supposed to – so keep that in mind.

The Freely Box Market Heats Up

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a standalone Freely box sell out within hours of launching.

When the Netgem Pleio launched in November 2025, it disappeared from Amazon before the end of launch day, leaving frustrated buyers checking back repeatedly over the following weeks as stock remained intermittent.

At the time, it wasn’t entirely clear whether the sellout represented major mainstream demand or simply pent-up enthusiasm from early adopters who’d been waiting 18 months for a standalone Freely device.

The Aero’s launch suggests it’s the former.

When Freely launched in April 2024, it was exclusive to brand new smart TVs – Hisense, Bush, Panasonic, and a handful of others. If you wanted Freely, you needed to replace your entire television.

That frustrated millions of viewers with perfectly good TVs who were curious about Freely – but weren’t ready to spend hundreds of pounds on new hardware just to try a streaming platform.

The standalone box market only emerged three months ago, with the Pleio priced at £99 (later £109.89 after a price increase). The Aero arrives at £69.99, making it the most affordable way to get Freely on any existing TV (meanwhile, the Pleio is down to £99 again – for a limited time).

Both devices selling out within 24 hours of launching suggests there’s significant pent-up demand from viewers who’ve been waiting for an affordable entry point.

What The Sellouts Say About Freeview’s Future

The Aero and Pleio sellouts might be telling us something bigger about where UK television is heading.

Research published last week suggests Freeview and Freesat could be switched off by 2034 – just eight years away.

The study, commissioned by Sky, argues that announcing a clear timeline would push fence-sitters to finally make the switch to internet-delivered TV, with only around 330,000 households needing targeted support by the end.

Whether you agree with that forecast or not, the fact that two standalone Freely boxes have now sold out within 24 hours of launching suggests significant numbers of viewers aren’t waiting for government announcements.

They’re already looking for affordable ways to transition away from aerials and traditional broadcasting – and they’re willing to buy the moment those options become available.

The signs point to Freely resonating with UK viewers in a way that goes beyond the usual early adopter crowd.

I’ll reserve final judgment on the Aero until I can properly test the device. But the launch-day sellout suggests Manhattan has positioned themselves well with the £69.99 price point.

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