Update: LG announced it too is bringing AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to its 2019 lineup of smart TVs.
Hot on the heels of the news that AirPlay 2 (as well as iTunes) support is coming to Samsung TVs this year, Vizio today announced that it plans to add support for the streaming tech to its lineup of SmartCast TVs in the coming months. As well as AirPlay 2, HomeKit will be supported meaning your Vizio TV set can be added to your Home app and be controlled via Siri.
Vizio says that the newest version of its SmartCast platform will add AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to new and existing TV models. It will be a free update to existing SmartCast TVs in Q2 of this year and will also be available on its TVs set for release later in 2019. SmartCast 3.0 also supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer at Vizio said:
At our core, VIZIO is committed to delivering value. SmartCast 3.0 is one of the ways we're doing just that. 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. 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.
AirPlay 2 support will allow iPhone, iPad and Mac users to easily play content from their devices on the big screen, with support for photos, music, video and more. Prior to this, an Apple TV box 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. It will also enable your Vizio TV set to be included in scenes for easy automation.
Apple is reported to be preparing to launch its own streaming TV service this year. Adding support to more TVs makes sense as Apple aims to get its subscription service in front of as many eyes as possible. An update to the company's AirPlay page promises more TVs coming with AirPlay 2 support and Siri functionality.
