Early access · Now open

Run your own
in-store media network.
Anywhere in the world.

backgroundOS is the complete operating system for in-store media businesses — device fleet management, content scheduling, client portals, hardware tracking, and advertising network tools. Self-hosted. Fully yours.

47 operators already on the list · No spam · Unsubscribe any time
700+ Devices in production
3+ Years battle-tested
99% Fleet uptime target
1 Live reference network
backgroundOS — fleet status
$bos fleet status --network=my-network
✓ Fleet online: 312 / 314 devices
→ Active campaigns: 8 running across 6 chains
→ Last heartbeat: 43 seconds ago
⚠ 2 devices stale (>30min) — locations: Westgate Mall, Avenues
 
$bos content deploy --campaign=xmas-2026 --chain=all
✓ Scheduled: 314 devices · goes live 00:00 CAT
 
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What it is

The infrastructure layer
for in-store media.

backgroundOS is the full-stack platform that powers an in-store audio and digital signage business — from the Pi on the shelf to the client portal to the advertising network. Built in production, now available for others to run.

01

Device Fleet Management

Monitor, manage, and command hundreds of Raspberry Pi and SBC devices across your network. Real-time heartbeat, SSH tunnel access, hardware inventory, fault tracking.

02

Content & Scheduling Engine

Music libraries, ad schedules, digital signage, playlists — all managed from a single dashboard. Hierarchical scheduling walks the station tree automatically.

03

Client & Advertiser Portals

Your clients self-serve their content approvals, raise support tickets, and track their device status. Advertisers manage campaigns and get proof-of-play reports.

04

WhatsApp-First Workflows

Built for markets where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel. Inbound messages become tickets. Outbound notifications use Meta-approved templates.

Live reference · Strategic Sound Design

NetworkZimbabwe
Active devices700+
Retail chains10+
In production since2023
PlatformbackgroundOS
🇿🇼
Built in the real world backgroundOS isn't a prototype. Strategic Sound Design has run a 700+ device network on this platform in Zimbabwe since 2023. You're licensing a proven system, not a demo.
Who it's for

Built for operators,
not retailers.

backgroundOS is for companies that run in-store media as a business — managing devices across multiple client locations. If that's you, read on.

📡

In-store media operators

You manage in-store audio or digital signage for multiple retailers. You need a system to deploy devices, schedule content, and keep everything running without a full engineering team.

→ Core use case
🌍

African market pioneers

The platform is designed for the realities of emerging markets — load shedding, intermittent connectivity, WhatsApp as the primary communication channel, and cash-heavy economies.

→ Where it's built
📻

Radio & audio companies expanding in-store

You already sell audio advertising. In-store is the natural next channel — your advertisers want purchase-moment reach, you want new inventory. backgroundOS is the infrastructure.

→ Adjacent use case
Platform features

Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.

Every feature ships battle-tested — built because we needed it, not because it looked good on a roadmap.

Fleet

Real-time device monitoring

Every device sends a heartbeat every minute. Online, stale, offline — you know before your clients do. SSH tunnel access for remote diagnostics.

● Live in production
Content

Hierarchical schedule inheritance

Content schedules cascade from network → station → device. Override at any level. One schedule change updates hundreds of devices simultaneously.

● Live in production
Hardware

Full hardware inventory & audit

Track every board from procurement to deployment. Fault reports, courier tracking, replacement devices — all linked to the relevant ticket and node.

● Live in production
Clients

White-label client portal

Your clients log in under your brand. They see their fleet, raise tickets, approve content, and track campaigns — without ever emailing or calling your team.

● Live in production
Advertising

In-store ad network tools

Manage advertiser campaigns across your network. Play-count reporting, time-of-day targeting, chain-by-chain or store-by-store deployment.

● Live in production
Comms

WhatsApp + email notifications

Inbound WhatsApp → ticket. Outbound status updates via Meta-approved templates. Email notifications for all ticket and content events.

◑ Shipping Q2 2026
Billing

Client billing & invoicing

Track service contracts, generate invoices, and reconcile ad campaign spend — all from within the platform. No separate billing tool required.

○ Planned
Multi-tenancy

Run multiple networks

Operate multiple independent networks from a single backgroundOS instance. Different brands, different geographies, fully isolated data.

○ Planned
What's coming

The platform is nearly ready.

We're finalising the onboarding flow, documentation, and self-serve deployment tooling. The core platform is live. Licensing opens Q2 2026.

Self-serve deployment

One-command install on your own VPS. Docker-based, documented, supported.

Licensing & billing

Per-device pricing with a generous free tier for small networks.

Operator documentation

Full setup guides, API reference, and runbooks for production operations.

Early access

Be first to run
your own network.

Join the waitlist and we'll reach out when early access opens. Early operators get priority onboarding, direct support from the team, and locked-in launch pricing.

Already have a network? Email will@backgroundos.io directly.