VIZIO 2018 SmartCast OS Expands to Offer Free and Unlimited TV via All-New WatchFree™ Service

IRVINE, Calif. and WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — VIZIO, Inc. announced today the rollout of WatchFree, an all-new streaming service designed with cord-cutters in mind. Now available on nearly all VIZIO SmartCast TVs, WatchFree, in partnership with Pluto TV, takes the entertainment experience one step further by providing free, direct streaming access to more than 100 live and linear channels. WatchFree has all of the attributes associated with traditional cable TV minus boxes, antennas, cords, and most importantly, the cost. 

VIZIO’s all-new WatchFree service allows VIZIO SmartCast TV users to kick back and enjoy a wide selection of live channels. Powered by Pluto TV, a leading streaming television service, WatchFree offers access to news, sports, movies, TV shows, viral videos, concerts and more – all without the expense of a monthly subscription or transaction fees.

“With the TV landscape continuously evolving, we’re excited to offer consumers a comprehensive entertainment solution packed with free and unlimited content offerings.” said Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “Powered by Pluto TV, WatchFree is a next-generation streaming service with an easy-to-navigate, cable-like interface that delivers creative and thoughtful content selections.”

In a completely innovative fashion, WatchFree is easily accessible via a dedicated input. SmartCast TV users simply press the Input button and select “WatchFree” to be instantly transported into a free and unlimited live TV experience. WatchFree offers an unrivaled, free viewing experience with endless entertainment options at the forefront.

“Powering VIZIO’s WatchFree service is a pivotal next step in our goal to deliver free, premium entertainment to as many consumers as possible,” states Tom Ryan, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Pluto TV. “From hit TV shows to blockbuster movies, news, sports, lifestyle and more, WatchFree is a gamechanger for cord-cutting enthusiasts.”

Some of the exciting Pluto TV channels that will be available through WatchFree include Pluto TV Movies, Action Movies, Black Cinema, News 24/7, NBC News/MSNBC, Fox Sports, Frontdoor, Cats 24/7, Crime Network, MST3K and The Surf Channel. In addition to the regular channel lineup, coming soon, Pluto TV will launch two new pop-up channels also available on WatchFree, featuring Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Unsolved Mysteries.

VIZIO’s content-first user experience is further rounded out with built-in TV tuners featured in all 2018 VIZIO SmartCast TVs, allowing cord-cutters to easily access free local broadcast TV by utilizing an over-the-air antenna¹. With Google Chromecast built-in, users can browse thousands of must-have Chromecast-enabled apps like DIRECTV NOW, YouTube TV, Netflix, Prime Video, Vudu, iHeartRadio, Crackle, and XUMO² on SmartCast Home for a wide-array of entertainment options. SmartCast Home also features easy-to-browse free and curated content recommendations that are accessible in an instant via the included remote. If users know what they want to watch, but need help finding it, the universal search feature conveniently enables searching across multiple apps at once.

¹ Over-the-air antenna sold separately.
² The third-party applications and content described herein may only be available in certain countries and languages, may require additional fees or subscription charges, and may be subject to future updates, modifications, interruption and/or discontinuation of service without notice, and VIZIO has no control over such content. 

About VIZIO
VIZIO’s mission is to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience through our community of connected consumers, advertisers, and media content providers. Through our connected entertainment platform, VIZIO is transforming the way consumers discover and experience media content. Since our founding in California in 2002, VIZIO has built an industry-leading brand and sold over 75 million products, including televisions, sound bars and other devices. VIZIO is a leading HDTV brand in America¹ and is the #1 sound bar brand in America². VIZIO product leadership is highlighted by a number of industry reviews and awards, making the 2017 collection the most awarded in company history. The 2017 VIZIO SmartCast E, M and P-Series Displays all received Reviewed.com’s Editor’s Choice awards³ and were listed as the site’s “Best of the Year.” The 2017 VIZIO M-Series SmartCast Display received CNET’s Editor’s Choice with an 8.6 rating⁴. The M-Series also received the Editor’s Choice from PCmag⁵. VIZIO’s SB3851 was rated “The Best Budget Soundbar” by The Wirecutter⁶, a New York Times company, and VIZIO’s SB3621n-E8 sound bar received a 9.1 score and an Editor’s Choice from CNET⁷. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit www.VIZIO.com.

About Pluto TV
Pluto TV is the leading free streaming television service in America, delivering 100+ live and original channels and thousands of on-demand movies in partnership with major TV networks, movie studios, publishers, and digital media companies. Pluto TV is available on all mobile, web and connected TV streaming devices and millions of viewers tune in each month to watch premium news, TV shows, movies, sports, lifestyle, and trending digital series. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, Silicon Valley and Berlin, Pluto TV is backed by USVP, ProSiebenSat.1 Media, Scripps Networks Interactive, Samsung Ventures, Sky and other prominent investors. 

© 2018 VIZIO, Inc. VIZIO, the V Logo, VIZIO SmartCast and other terms and phrases are trademarks or registered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

¹ The NPD Group, Inc./Weekly Retail Tracking Service, based on TV units sold in the U.S. from Jan 5, 2014– Nov 11, 2017
²  The NPD Group, Inc./Weekly Retail Tracking Service, based on the total aggregate of sound bar units sold in the U.S. from Jan 5, 2014 – Nov 11, 2017
³ Visit reviewed.com for full reviews for the VIZIO SmartCast P-Series (published: 11/3/2017), VIZIO SmartCast M-Series (published: 10/2/2017) and VIZIO SmartCast E-Series (published: 5/5/2017)
⁴ Visit CNET.com for the full review, published 11/7/2017
⁵ Visit pcmag.com for the full VIZIO M65-E0 review, published 9/12/17
⁶ Visit thewirecutter.com for the full article, published 6/22/17
⁷ Visit CNET.com  for the full VIZIO SB3621 review, published 8/21/17

SOURCE VIZIO, Inc.