What you need to know
- Vizio SmartCast 4.0 has been announced.
- It shortens load times, has a new search experience, and better input switching.
- A new Voice Remote is launching this year — the first-ever from Vizio.
So far at CES 2020, Vizio has showcased a new OLED TV and a bunch of soundbars. However, that's not all the company has up its sleeves. Just as important as those other unveilings, Vizio has taken the wraps off of Vizio SmartCast 4.0.
SmartCast is the platform used to power Vizio's smart TVs, and the 4.0 update looks to pack quite the punch. In day-to-day use, users will benefit from faster startup and load times, better input switching, and improved responsiveness for remote controls. Finding content to watch is also getting easier, thanks to a "redesigned search experience."
Vizio's WatchFree free streaming service is steadily proving itself to be a worthy competitor in the streaming wars, and this year, Vizio will add the ability to select favorite genres and channels in the app, allowing for a more personalized experience. Google Assistant support is also on the way, and it'll enable you to launch WatchFree channels and shows using nothing but your voice.
Last but certainly not least, Vizio has announced its first-ever Vizio Voice Remote.
Utilizing a push-to-talk function, you can talk to the remote to control just about every aspect of your Vizio TV. The Voice Remote allows you to launch apps, search for content, switch picture modes, and much more.
SmartCast 4.0 will begin rolling out later this year, and when it does, it'll be available for any Vizio TVs made in 2016 or later. Vizio is also targeting a 2020 release for the WatchFree improvements and the Voice Remote, but that's as specific of a timeframe as we have right now.
