HBO Max has finally come to Vizio‘s SmartCast platform in the U.S., bringing the WarnerMedia streamer to one of the country’s best-selling TV brands.
Consumers who have Vizio SmartCast-enabled televisions and who subscribe to HBO Max will be able to sign into the app to get access to the service’s 13,000-plus hours of premium content.
The distribution agreement with Vizio continues WarnerMedia’s summer expansion of HBO Max, after going live on LG TVs last month and on Dish Network in late July. The media company inked deals with for the U.S.’s two biggest over-the-top platforms — Roku and Amazon Fire TV — last year.
As part of the launch, Vizio will feature a carousel on the SmartCast home screen giving viewers free access to a selection of featured episodes from original series in HBO Max’s library — no subscription required — including “Game of Thrones,” “Euphoria,” “Perry Mason,” “Love Life” and “Raised by Wolves.” The sampling carousel on Vizio SmartCast will include access to free episodes from 13 originals, with a rotation of new titles from the HBO Max library.
The latest Vizio SmartCast TVs include a push-to-talk voice remote that lets users to go directly to their favorite HBO Max show or movie with simple voice commands. Additionally, audiences can use voice navigation through the free SmartCast Mobile app for iOS and Android.
Popular on Variety
“Vizio’s mission is to bring the best possible entertainment experience to the millions of people that use our products each day,” said Mike O’Donnell, chief revenue officer of Vizio’s Platform Plus group. “Making it easy to access the premium library and iconic programming from HBO Max through our SmartCast Platform helps us deliver on that mission.”
In addition to native streaming apps like HBO Max, Vizio SmartCast includes built-in support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, allowing viewers to stream, control and share content from their phone, tablet or laptop directly on the big screen.
