| Peel | |
| Location City: | Mountain View, California |
| Location Country: | U.S. |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Founders: | Bala Krishnan Thiru Arunachalam |
| Industry: | Software |
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]
Peel Smart Remote was launched in 2009 by current CEO Thiru Arunachalam and co-founder and chief product officer Bala Krishnan. Peel built an initial user base from agreements with major device manufacturers Samsung 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.[4]
Peel has raised more than 90 million dollars from investors.
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,[5] tune into shows, record programming, or get viewing reminders. Users can also share content with their contacts.[6] [7]
Peel is available for iOS and Android devices. It comes preloaded on Samsung and HTC devices that have an infrared (IR) blaster.[8] 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.[9] The app works in over 200 countries and delivers program guides in 110 countries.[10]
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]