VIZIO Reveals SmartCast™ 3.0 at CES 2019, Adding Support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit

IRVINE, Calif. and LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- VIZIO, Inc. announced today the latest iteration of its easy-to-use smart TV experience, VIZIO SmartCast 3.0, which will offer unparalleled value to consumers through new seamless integrations, features and content offerings. With support for Apple AirPlay 2, millions of VIZIO SmartCast users can effortlessly play videos, music, photos and more directly from their iPhone, iPad and Mac to SmartCast TVs. HomeKit, Apple's secure smart home platform, will also be supported, enabling customers to easily control their SmartCast TVs using the Home app or by asking Siri. Support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on VIZIO SmartCast TVs will be available for registered beta members across the U.S. and Canada to experience in Q1 2019. Following the beta, VIZIO SmartCast 3.0 will roll out via free cloud-based updates to new and existing SmartCast TVs and displays in Q2 2019¹.

"At our core, VIZIO is committed to delivering value. SmartCast 3.0 is one of the ways we're doing just that. By adding support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, users can play content from their iPhone, iPad and Mac directly to SmartCast TVs, and enable TV controls through the Home app and Siri," said Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. "SmartCast 3.0 also supports Google Assistant and provides access to thousands of Google Chromecast-enabled apps. Additional support for Alexa rounds out our voice control offerings, allowing VIZIO SmartCast to seamlessly fit into any household with Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa. We're excited to be the first in the marketplace to support such a wide range of ways for consumers to sit back and enjoy the entertainment they love."

AirPlay 2 
With a simple tap of the AirPlay icon, users will be able to stream 4K and Dolby Vision HDR movies and TV shows from iTunes and other video apps as well as music, photos and more directly from their iPhone, iPad and Mac to their SmartCast TVs². Users can also mirror content such as web pages and presentations to their VIZIO SmartCast TVs. AirPlay 2 also features multi-room audio capabilities so users can listen to Apple Music, music from their iTunes library, and third-party music services as well as podcasts on their VIZIO SmartCast TV, HomePod, Apple's wireless home music speaker, or other AirPlay 2-compatible speakers at the same time, all in sync.

HomeKit
HomeKit allows customers to easily and securely control smart home products using the Home app or by asking Siri on their Apple devices. VIZIO SmartCast TVs can be added to the Home app and included in scenes or automations like any other HomeKit accessory. Customers can also use iPhone and iPad to turn their SmartCast TV on or off from the Home app, change volume and switch inputs, and ask Siri from iPhone and iPad to play movies, TV shows or music with AirPlay 2.

Additional Features
Rounding out VIZIO SmartCast 3.0 are new Google Assistant and Alexa functionalities along with updates to the intuitive user interface.

Building on existing voice control support, SmartCast 3.0 will offer expanded Google Assistant actions for VIZIO SmartCast TVs. Consumers with a Google Home or Google Assistant-enabled device will have the ability to use simple voice commands to launch apps, select inputs as well as pause, resume, stop, fast-forward, rewind content and more. Users with Alexa-enabled devices can also control their TV, and coming later this year, launch apps without lifting a finger.

Whether a smart-home enthusiast, cord-cutter or everyday entertainment consumer, VIZIO SmartCast 3.0 provides users with versatile and intuitive ways to experience endless entertainment. New apps continue to be added to SmartCast Home™, VIZIO's on-screen smart TV experience, joining popular favorites like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Vudu, iHeartRadio, CBS All Access, NBC and more³.

SmartCast 3.0 also includes VIZIO WatchFree, the completely free streaming service that provides access to live news, sports, movies, TV shows, viral videos, concerts and more all without the expense of monthly subscriptions or transaction fees. WatchFree is easily accessible via a dedicated input and is also located on the SmartCast Home screen. With the rollout of SmartCast 3.0, users will be able to enjoy new channels, including TV Spotlight, which features rotating box office favorites. New channels will  join popular WatchFree offerings such as NBC News/MSNBC/CNBC, Fox Sports, Bloomberg Television, Action Movies, Crime Network, Fail Army, PeopleTV and more.

More information surrounding VIZIO SmartCast 3.0 will be available closer to launch. To learn more about support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, Google Assistant or Alexa visit VIZIO.com.

¹The SmartCast 3.0 update is available only to eligible SmartCast TVs and displays enabled with SmartCast Home™, VIZIO's on-screen smart TV experience
²4K and Dolby Vision HDR available via select apps
³The third-party applications and content described herein may only be available in certain countries and languages, may require additional fees or subscription charges, and may be subject to future updates, modifications, interruption and/or discontinuation of service without notice, and VIZIO has no control over such content. 

About VIZIO
VIZIO's mission is to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience through our community of connected consumers, advertisers, and media content providers. Through our connected entertainment platform, VIZIO is transforming the way consumers discover and experience media content. Since our founding in California in 2002, VIZIO has built an industry-leading brand of products, including televisions, sound bars and other devices. VIZIO is a leading HDTV and sound bar brand in America. VIZIO product leadership is highlighted by a number of industry reviews and awards, making the 2018 collection the most awarded in company history. The 2018 VIZIO SmartCast E-, P-, and P-Series Quantum TVs have earned Reviewed.com's Editors' Choice awards¹. VIZIO 2018 P-Series earned Wirecutter's Best LCD/LED TV and the P-Series Quantum earned their Upgrade Pick². VIZIO's SB3651 was named "Best Budget Pick" by Wirecutter³, a New York Times company. The SB3621n-E8 sound bar received a 9.1 score and an Editor's Choice from CNET⁴.
For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit www.VIZIO.com.

© 2019 VIZIO, Inc. VIZIO, the V Logo, VIZIO SmartCast and other terms and phrases are trademarks or registered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

¹ Visit Reviewed.com for full reviews for the VIZIO SmartCast P-Series Quantum (published: July 25, 2018), VIZIO SmartCast P-Series (published: July 15, 2018) and VIZIO SmartCast E-Series (published: August 21, 2018)
² Visit Wirecutter.com for the Best LCD/LED TV (published: August 31, 2018)
³ Visit Wirecutter.com for the full article (published September 11, 2018)
⁴ Visit CNET.com for the full VIZIO SB3621 review (published 8/21/17)

SOURCE VIZIO, Inc.

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