VIZIO Smartcast getting Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit abilities

If you’ve got a VIZIO TV with Smartcast capabilities, there’s some good news for you as a software update is rolling out to TVs from the way back times of 2016.

Smartcast 3.0 will include support for Apple’s HomeKit and AIrPlay 2, which will make there be very little reason for you to discount VIZIO when considering a smart display purchase.

I’ll be checking it tonight with my daughter’s iPad and seeing how it behaves.

Here’s the press release:

Support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit Rolling Out
Now to VIZIO SmartCast^TM TVs

VIZIO SmartCast 3.0 Provides Backwards Compatibility for TVs Dating Back to 2016, Bringing More Value by Allowing Users to Stream, Control and Share Content

IRVINE, Calif. (July 31, 2019) — VIZIO, Inc. announced today that support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit is beginning to roll out to VIZIO SmartCast TVs. The new compatibility feature will roll out via an over-the-air update for VIZIO SmartCast 3.0, the latest iteration of its easy-to-use smart TV experience¹. With AirPlay 2, millions of VIZIO SmartCast users can now effortlessly play videos, music, photos and more directly from their iPhone, iPad and Mac to SmartCast TVs. HomeKit, Apple’s secure smart home platform, is also supported, enabling customers to easily control their SmartCast TVs using the Home app or by asking Siri. These new enhancements are beginning to roll out now and continue over the coming months to new and existing SmartCast TVs dating back to 2016.

“SmartCast 3.0 is full of added value for VIZIO customers. With both AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support, users can now share movies, TV shows, music and more from their favorite apps, including the Apple TV app, directly to SmartCast TVs, and enable TV controls through the Home app and Siri,” said Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “We are thrilled to offer an even more compelling value proposition to our users with a smart TV experience that supports all three major voice assistants. This broad range of compatibility enables VIZIO SmartCast to seamlessly integrate into any household with Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa – giving users more ways to sit back and enjoy the entertainment they love.”

AirPlay 2  
With a simple tap of the AirPlay icon, users are able to stream 4K and Dolby Vision^TM HDR movies and TV shows from the Apple TV app and other AirPlay-compatible 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 VIZIO SmartCast users can enjoy a variety of content across their VIZIO SmartCast TV, HomePod or other AirPlay 2-compatible speakers at the same time, all in sync. From Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and library content to third-party compatible music services and podcasts, users have more audio streaming options than ever before.

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.

VIZIO’s 2019 4K HDR smart TV collection, featuring VIZIO SmartCast 3.0 and its most captivating assortment of premium picture quality technologies to date, is now available at retailers nationwide such as Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart. Pricing ranges from $259.99 MSRP for the all-new 40-inch V-Series to $3,499.99 MSRP for the flagship 75-inch P-Series Quantum X. 

More information surrounding VIZIO SmartCast support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit is available at VIZIO.com/apple.

¹The SmartCast 3.0 update is available only to eligible SmartCast TVs enabled with SmartCast Home™, VIZIO’s on-screen smart TV experience.
²4K and Dolby Vision HDR available via select apps. iOS 12.3 or later or macOS 10.14.5 or later is required. 

About VIZIO
VIZIO’s mission is to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience through our community of connected consumers. Through our connected entertainment platform, VIZIO is transforming the way consumers discover and experience 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 company, and America’s #1 Sound Bar Brand¹ in America. VIZIO product leadership is highlighted by a number of industry reviews and awards; the 2018 collection was the most awarded in company history. The 2018 VIZIO SmartCast E-, P-, and P-Series Quantum TVs earned Reviewed.com Editors’ Choice awards². VIZIO’s 2018 P-Series earned Wirecutter, a New York Times company’s “Best LCD/LED TV,” and the P-Series Quantum earned their “Alternate Pick”³. The 2019 P-Series Quantum X has already received a Best of CES 2019 award from both CNET⁴ and Digital Trends⁵. The SB3621n-E8 sound bar still holds a 9.1 score and an Editor’s Choice from CNET⁶. They also described the SB36512 Home Theater Sound System with Dolby Atmos as “Excellent,” awarding it 4 out of 5 stars⁷. Wirecutter⁸ similarly named VIZIO’s SB46514 Home Theater Sound System with Dolby Atmos as the “Best Sound Bar,” while they named the SB3651 sound bar their “Best Budget Pick”.

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 Source: The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Weekly Retail Tracking Service, Sound Bars, Based on Units, Feb. 4, 2018 – Apr. 6, 2019
² 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)
³ Visit Wirecutter.com for the Best LCD/LED TV (published: August 31, 2018)
⁴ Visit cnet.com for the Best of CES 2019 
⁵ Visit digitaltrends.com for the Best of CES 2019 
⁶Visit CNET.com  for the full VIZIO SB3621 review (published August 21, 2017)
⁷ Visit CNET.com for the full VIZIO SB36512 review (published April 5, 2019)
⁸ Visit Wirecutter.com for the full article (published September 11, 2018)

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