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Peel
IndustrySoftware
Founded2009; 15 years ago (2009)
FoundersBala Krishnan
Thiru Arunachalam
Headquarters
Mountain View, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Thiru Arunachalam (CEO)
Bala Krishnan (CPO)

Peel is a company based in Mountain View, California, USA that sells a smartphone and tablet app which provides universal remote functionality.[1][2]

Peel is partnered with cable and direct-to-home networks in certain regions to give its users access to regional TV schedules of all the channels available to them.[3]

History

Peel Smart Remote was launched in 2009 by current CEO Thiru Arunachalam[4] and co-founder and chief product officer Bala Krishnan.[5] Peel built an initial user base from agreements with major device manufacturers Samsung[6] and HTC to include Peel as a preloaded app on smartphones sold in India. In 2015, Peel claimed that their app generated over 100 billion remote commands with over 120 million registered users.[6]

Peel has raised more than 90 million dollars from investors.[7]

Peel Smart Remote

The app functions as a universal remote control for televisions, set top boxes, digital video recorders (DVRs), and other devices. Users can interact with friends and other TV viewers via the app,[8] tune into shows, record programming, or get viewing reminders. Users can also share content with their contacts.[9][10]

Peel is available for iOS and Android devices. It comes preloaded on Samsung and HTC devices that have an infrared (IR) blaster.[4] On Samsung devices it is called “WatchOn” or “Smart Remote.” On HTC devices it is called “SenseTV” or “TV.” As of August 2015 “WatchOn” and “Smart Remote” have been renamed to Peel Smart Remote. Peel completes an average of 30 billion remote control actions per month.[7] The app works in over 200 countries and delivers program guides in 110 countries.[5]

Peel Smart Remote uses built-in IR hardware on Android smartphones to control devices by tapping the on-screen remote.[11] For phones without the IR hardware, Peel uses WiFi to discover and control devices that are on the same network.[12]

In 2017, the Android app received criticism from users who complained about the app forcing an overlay onto their device's lock screen and ads being added to the app.[13] The app has continued to receive criticism for showing full-screen ads upon unlocking the device and continuously running in the background, which is what allows it to display those ads.[14][15]

References

  1. ^ Del Rey, Jason (October 9, 2014). "Alibaba Invests $50 Million in TV Remote App Peel". re/code. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  2. ^ Singh, Charanjeet (2018-08-01). "Peel Remote: Everything About The Notorious Smart Remote App". Fossbytes. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  3. ^ "Peel Smart Remote App Hits First 100 Million Users in Just 30 Months". www.newsvoir.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  4. ^ a b Truong, Alice. "Peel the app that turns your devices into remote controls hits 50 million activations". Fast Company. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Robinson, James (March 13, 2014). "50 million users strong, Peel’s smart remote looks to stay ahead of the TV game". PandoDaily. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Peel Tops 100 Billion Remote Commands" Archived 2015-09-11 at the Wayback Machine. Peel.com. Retrieved September, 2015.
  7. ^ a b (October 9, 2014). "Alibaba Invests $50 Million in TV-Remote App Startup Peel". MONEYNEWS.COM. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  8. ^ Ha, Anthony (March 12, 2012). "Social TV App Peel Adds Real-Time Cheering To American Idol". TechCrunch. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  9. ^ Roettgers, Janko (May 22, 2014). "Peel’s new ads let you change the channel on your TV". GigaOm. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  10. ^ Flomenbaum, Adam (June 17, 2014). "With its Expansion into China, Peel’s 300 Million Device Goal is in Reach". Lost Remote. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  11. ^ "A quick look at the Peel Smart Remote for Android". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  12. ^ "How to Use the Peel Smart Remote App to Control Your Entertainment Equipment". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  13. ^ Whitwam, Ryan (March 29, 2017). "Peel remote app upsets users with a ton of ads and lock screen overlays". Android Police. Retrieved Oct 30, 2019.
  14. ^ Gray, Robin (28 January 2019). "Previously preinstalled Peel TV Remote app is behaving like adware". Jamf Blog. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  15. ^ Singh, Charanjeet (3 January 2019). "Peel Remote: Everything About The Notorious Smart Remote App". FossBytes. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.

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