Google, Vizio teaming up for TVs with Chromecast features

PanARMENIAN.Net - Google is taking casting beyond Chromecast: the company has partnered with TV manufacturer Vizio on a series of new TV sets that offer Chromecast-like functionality out of the box, Variety reports citing sources familiar with the collaboration.

The new line of TVs, which could become available as early as this spring, won’t feature any traditional smart TV apps.

Instead, they will function just like Google’s Chromecast streaming adapter, offering consumers the ability to watch online services like Netflix and Hulu on their TV sets, but with the streaming initiating from mobile devices.

Vizio plans to help consumers with the transition to this new interaction model with an Android-based tablet that functions as a dedicated remote control. The tablet will feature apps from many media services, and also include a kind of programming guide that serves up content recommendations. The tablet may be included free of charge with some TV sets, and Vizio may decide not even to include a traditional TV remote control. However, a source cautioned that some of these details could be subject to last-minute changes.