New Alexa Capabilities Now Available on VIZIO SmartCast™ TVs, Creating Enhanced Viewer Experiences Just in Time for Fall TV

IRVINE, Calif., September 17, 2019 (Newswire.com) - VIZIO, Inc. today announced new support for Alexa voice features across VIZIO SmartCast™ TVs, creating a better user experience through enhanced voice control functionality. The new features are now available on VIZIO TVs with the SmartCast platform, VIZIO’s easy-to-use smart TV experience¹. Previous Alexa capabilities available on VIZIO TVs allowed viewers to power their TVs on or off, change inputs, play or pause programs, and more. With the latest SmartCast updates, millions of users can now also use Alexa to search for movies or shows by title, genre, or cast members – just by using their voice and a nearby Echo device.

Finding a favorite show is easier than ever; after following the on-screen setup flow and enabling VIZIO’s Alexa skill, users can simply say “Alexa, find the show This is Us” to catch up before the NBC season premiere. SmartCast then displays pricing and video formats across multiple apps, helping users find the right content at the right price. Additionally, users can use their voice to launch apps such as Prime Video or Hulu without their remote to immediately start watching. If a viewer is not sure exactly what to watch but has a specific genre in mind, they can ask for categories such as action or horror films for a more intuitive and hands-free browsing experience. 

“At VIZIO, we are always looking for ways to enhance the entertainment experience and bring more value to our customers. We are thrilled to offer improved SmartCast features not only to new customers but for current VIZIO SmartCast TV users as well,” said Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “The timing couldn’t be better with the excitement around fall TV premieres because the new Alexa features give viewers more ways to easily find the content they love.”

Alexa users are not the only customers who will see improved voice functionality; more SmartCast TV models will soon be compatible with the Google Assistant. Using the Google Assistant, users can launch apps, switch inputs, power on and off their TV, or play, pause, and rewind the content they are viewing. Voice commands can also be used to change picture modes and toggle closed captioning display for a truly customizable entertainment experience on VIZIO SmartCast TVs.  

VIZIO's 2019 4K HDR smart TV collection can be found at national retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart. Featuring VIZIO SmartCast and premium picture quality technologies, these voice-compatible TVs currently range in price from $239.99 for the all-new 40-inch V-Series to $2,399.99 for the flagship 75-inch P-Series Quantum X. 

More information surrounding VIZIO SmartCast support for Alexa is available at https://www.vizio.com/alexa or through this video.

¹ Feature updates are available only on SmartCast TVs enabled with SmartCast Home™, VIZIO’s on-screen smart TV experience.

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 PX65-G1 received an Editors’ Choice award from Digital Trends¹, and 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 awards³. 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”⁴. The 2019 P-Series Quantum X has already received a Best of CES 2019 award from both CNET⁵ and Digital Trends⁶. The SB3621n-E8 sound bar still holds a 9.1 score and an Editor’s Choice from CNET⁷. They also described the SB36512 Home Theater Sound System with Dolby Atmos as “Excellent,” awarding it 4 out of 5 stars⁸. Wirecutter⁹ 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 Source: Visit DigitalTrends.com for the full VIZIO PX65 review (published August 30, 2019)

³ 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)

⁴ Visit Wirecutter.com for the Best LCD/LED TV (published: August 31, 2018)

⁵ Visit cnet.com for the Best of CES 2019 

⁶ Visit digitaltrends.com for the Best of CES 2019 

⁷ Visit CNET.com for the full VIZIO SB3621 review (published August 21, 2017)

⁸ Visit CNET.com for the full VIZIO SB36512 review (published April 5, 2019)

⁹ Visit Wirecutter.com for the full article (published September 11, 2018)

Press Contacts for VIZIO:

Amanda Kelley
5W Public Relations
T: 212-584-4272
E: [email protected]

Jim Noyd
​Noyd Communications Inc.
T: 310-951-3768
E: [email protected]

Source: VIZIO, Inc.