Vizio Touts SmartCast TV Update as Alternative to Streaming Sticks

Vizio will release a software update next month designed to speed startup time for its SmartCast TV operating system, said Amanda Cross, Vizio senior manager-product marketing, at a Tuesday media walk-through in New York. The performance improvements of SmartCast 3.5, rolling out mid-November and expected to be complete by year-end, will cut the boot time from cold start to powering on the TV in half. The update will refresh all Vizio SmartCast TVs back to 2016 models, Cross said, fitting Vizio’s marketing message that its TVs bring value to new customers and to the existing user base. The update also accelerates load time of apps that “used to take a bit of time” by five times, Cross said. Users will be able to return to the SmartCast homepage quickly from other apps, improving the search and browse experience, she said, including from AirPlay. For the holidays, Vizio will push added value from the SmartCast performance update, which it says eliminates the need for an external streaming stick. It will also spotlight “really competitive holiday pricing" including some prices exclusive to specific retailers, she said.