Smart TV maker Vizio is kicking off 2023 with a series of user experience enhancements, including cleaner navigation menus and a revamped mobile app.
The company on Thursday unveiled the Quick Menu, which Vizio users can access just by tapping the menu button on the Vizio remote. The Quick Menu, touted as Vizio’s “cleanest, fastest menu ever,” lets users adjust picture settings, connect Bluetooth headphones, toggle subtitles as well as access more advanced Vizio settings.
The other new menu can be found within WatchFree+, Vizio’s free ad-supported streaming TV service. WatchFree+ now has a Mini Guide, a programming guide that allows users to scroll through content on other WatchFree+ channels without disrupting the program they’re currently watching. This feature comes a couple of months after Vizio introduced a more intuitive program guide for the FAST service.
Bolstering Vizio’s aggregation capabilities, the new Recent Apps button provides instant access to a viewer’s frequently used streaming apps. It can be found on the Apps and Inputs row on the Vizio home screen.
Vizio’s refreshed mobile app includes push-to-talk voice control, one-click navigation to WatchFree+ and entertainment discovery features like streaming apps and promoted content as well as the ability to launch apps that are directly displayed on the TV screen.
Steve Yum, Vizio’s VP of product management, stated the redesigned mobile app “is a direct reflection of our commitment to deliver the best user experience for millions of users who start their entertainment journey with Vizio on their smartphones.”
“Vizio Mobile has everything you need to control your Vizio TV, plus additional features that extend the value of Vizio products across the board,” he said.
The Vizio app, available for free on iOS and Android, also comes with Vizio Account, a subscription management tool that helps users keep track of multiple streaming services in one place. Consumers of late have been craving a more simplified, aggregated streaming experience, and even YouTube has joined the fray with its recently launched PrimeTime Channels.
Vizio’s not the only smart TV maker to double down on UX. Roku recently launched a sports hub to help viewers locate games across a variety of leagues, and Fire TV has rolled out enhanced Alexa voice control options.