VIZIO Announces SmartCast 3.0 TVs, Adds Support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit

Vizio today announced that select models of its Smart TV sets will soon pick up support for Apple’s HomeKit platform for the connected home and the AirPlay 2 media-streaming protocol.

Vizio

Coming in as a software update in the second quarter of 2019, AirPlay 2 will allow iOS and Mac users to instantly beam images, videos, and any other content onto one’s television instantly. However, what’s most interesting here is the fact that Vizio’s SmartCast TVs will add support for HomeKit.

Basically, the Vizio television will appear in one’s Home app on the iPhone, iPad or Mac. From there, users can turn the TV set on or off, change sources, adjust volume, and more.

Prior to this, an Apple TV device was required in order to enable this functionality. Integration with HomeKit allows users to easily control their Vizio TV from their Apple devices or using Siri, and will also enable the Vizio TV set to be included in scenes for easy automation.

“At our core, VIZIO is committed to delivering value. SmartCast 3.0 is one of the ways we’re doing just that,” says Bill Baxter, Vizio’s Chief Technology Officer.  “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.”

“SmartCast 3.0 also supports Google Assistant and provides access to thousands of Google Chromecast-enabled apps,” he continues. “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.”

According to Vizio, the SmartCast 3.0 update with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit can be tested by beta members in the United States and Canada in the first quarter on 2019, and it will be publicly released in the second quarter. The software will come preinstalled on the entire 2019 Vizio smart TV lineup.