TikTok’s global domination continues as the app has made its way over to Vizio smart TVs.
The update is currently rolling out with a new app sitting right on the Home Page. Vizio is a little slow in supporting TikTok as competitors Samsung and LG had the app when it first launched in North America back in November 2021. TikTok TV is essentially the same as the mobile app but on a bigger screen and without the ability to record video.
What’s noteworthy about this particular rollout is that Vizio TVs are known for being cheap. You can purchase, for instance, Vizio’s V-Series 43-inch 4K HDR TV for a little under $300. Compare that to Samsung 4K TVs. You'll likely pay over $400 for one, and that's assuming it's on sale.
TikTok coming to Vizio TVs means you have a popular app being made more widely available to the TV consumer.
There is a catch, however. A Vizio representative confirmed that the app will be available on all Vizio TVs that have SmartCast, which is the company’s own app platform. If you don’t know if your TV has SmartCast, you can check by going to Vizio’s website and looking up your model; it'll be listed on the product page.
According to the website, all Vizio TVs from 2021 and newer come with SmartCast. This implies that if you have an older model, you may not have the app platform and thus no way to get TikTok TV.
Other than its availability on low-cost TVs, TikTok TV is pretty much the same. You can connect your TikTok account to the Vizio display in order to watch videos from your personalized feed. The app also has AutoPlay enabled for a continuous content stream.
Analysis: Trying out new things
As TikTok steps away from its mobile roots and out to new platforms, you can’t help but wonder what parent company ByteDance has in store for its app. Rolling out to low-cost 4K TVs will probably gain them an even bigger audience, but you can only do so much with the same content.
As a result, TikTok has been trying out new things. Back in February, the app extended the maximum video length to 10 minutes, seemingly taking on YouTube. And reports from May reveal ByteDance is looking at implementing video games on its service. But they’re pretty simple mobile games like running down a lane and avoiding obstacles. It's interesting to see what TikTok is doing to spur growth, even if it is pretty random.
Also, you may not know this, but it’s entirely possible to download TikTok videos. TechRadar has a guide on how to save your favorites from getting lost in the giant content library.
