Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Vizio

Not to be confused with Microsoft Visio.

Vizio
FormerlyV Inc. (2002–2004)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryElectronics
FoundedOctober 2002; 22 years ago (2002-10), in Costa Mesa, California, U.S.
FoundersWilliam Wang
Headquarters
Irvine, California
,
U.S.
Area served
North America
Key people
William Wang (CEO)
Ben Wong (President & COO)
Adam Townsend (CFO)
Mike O'Donnell (Chief Revenue Officer, Platform+)[1][2][3]
ProductsOLED TV, 4K UHD TVs, LCD TVs, LED TVs, soundbars, home theater in a box, QLED TV, Platform+
ParentWalmart (2024-present)
Websitewww.vizio.com

Vizio is an American designer of televisions, soundbars, and related software and accessories owned by Walmart since 2024. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Irvine, California.[4]

History

The company was founded in 2002 as V Inc. by entrepreneur William Wang and two founding employees.[5][6][7] By 2004, Wang changed the company name to Vizio.[8][9]

In 2006, the company's revenue was estimated at $700 million, and in 2007 it was estimated to have exceeded $2 billion.[10] Vizio is known for selling its HDTVs at lower prices than its competitors.[4]

In late 2014, Vizio acquired Advanced Media Research Group, Inc., the parent of entertainment website BuddyTV.[11]

On July 24, 2015, Vizio filed with U.S. regulators to raise up to $172.5 million in an initial public offering of Class A common stock.[12][13]

In August 2015, Vizio acquired Cognitive Media Networks, Inc, a provider of automatic content recognition (ACR).[14] Cognitive Media Networks was subsequently renamed Inscape Data.[14] Inscape functioned as an independent entity until the end of 2020, when it was combined with Vizio Ads and SmartCast; the three divisions combining to operate as a single unit.[15]

On July 26, 2016, Chinese electronics company LeEco announced that it would acquire Vizio for US$2 billion;[16] however, the acquisition was canceled in April 2017 after the Chinese government blocked the merger amid a larger government crackdown on major foreign acquisition by domestic Chinese firms.[17][18][19][20][21] Vizio and LeEco settled a lawsuit regarding payment of the breakup fee.[22]

In 2018, Vizio launched a free streaming service called WatchFree, powered by Pluto TV, on its SmartCast platform.[23][24]

As of 2020, Vizio was the second largest seller of flat-panel display televisions in the US.[25] By March 2021, the company sold over 11 million soundbars and 80 million TVs,[26] and has more than 12 million active SmartCast accounts.[27]

In March 2021, Vizio became a public company via an initial public offering.[28][29][30][31][26]

Effective December 2021, Bill Baxter resigned as chief technology officer.[32]

In February 2024, Walmart announced plans to acquire Vizio for $2.3 billion. Following regulatory approval, the transaction was completed on December 3.[33][34][35] The acquisition enables Walmart to "shore up its advertising business and create a more potent rival to Amazon’s booming ad business."[36]

Products

Vizio produces televisions and soundbars and has previously produced tablets, mobile phones and computers. Vizio manufactures its products in Mexico, China, and Vietnam under agreements with ODM assemblers.[37]

Televisions

Televisions are Vizio's primary product category, and in 2007 the company became the largest LCD TV seller (by volume) in North America.[38] In February 2009, Vizio announced they would stop production of plasma televisions and would focus on the LED-backlit LCD displays .[39]

In March 2016, Vizio announced the release of SmartCast TVs that allowed users to control the screen from a tablet or mobile app.[40][41] The following year, Vizio relaunched its smart TV platform to include apps directly on the screen, including Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.[42][43] In 2018, Vizio released its first Quantum Dot LED 4K TV.[44] Vizio has added functionality for Google Assistant and Alexa-enabled devices, Apple Airplay2, Apple HomeKit[45] and gaming features for its SmartCast TVs.[43]

  • D-Series: Full-HD TV
  • V-Series: Smart TV.[46] The V- and D- series come in sizes from 24 to 75 inches and use direct LED backlight.[47]
  • M-Series Quantum: HDR TV.[48] The 2022 models have local dimming up to 32 zones, and come in sizes from 43 to 75 inches. They are LCD TVs with 4K resolution and standard HDMI 2.0 that support AMD FreeSync.[47]
  • P-Series Quantum: The 2022 models can reach up to 1200 nits peak brightness.[49][50][47]
  • P-Series Quantum X: Smart TV.[51] The 2022 models have dimming with 792 zones in the 85-inch model, reaching 3000 nits peak brightness.[47]
  • OLED TV: In 2020, Vizio released its first OLED TV.[52] The Vizio OLED uses IQ Ultra image processor and supports VRR up to 120Hz.[51]

Sound bars

Vizio's sound bar products are named by series, including the V-Series, M-Series, and Elevate. Series names pair with suggested TV products.[53]

In 2013, Vizio released the Home Theater Sound Bar, a surround sound home audio system."[54][55] In 2018, the company released its first Dolby Atmos soundbars.[56] In 2020, Vizio released the Elevate soundbar, the first Atmos soundbar with rotating speakers.[55] At CES 2020, Vizio earned the CES innovation award product designation for the Elevate sound bar.[57]

Vizio's audio collection includes entry and mid-level sound bars that include surround sound, as well as premium versions.[58]

  • V-Series:[59][60] The V-Series for 2022 supports the standard version of "audio return channel" or ARC. The V51x-J6 has 5.1-channel audio.[61]
  • M-Series:Mid-range sound bars.[59][62][63] The 2022 model M512a-H6 is a 5.1.2-channel sound bar. It has surround speakers that connect to a wireless sound bar and upfiring drivers have height cues for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks, and has eARC support.[61]
  • Elevate Series: Motorized height sound bars detect Dolby Atmos and DTS-X signals.[59][60]

SmartCast

Not to be confused with NetCast.
A 2021 model Vizio TV

SmartCast is the operating system/platform that Vizio uses in all their smart TVs.[64] It uses both Chromecast and Apple AirPlay.[65][66] In June 2021 Vizio updated SmartCast with a Vizio voice feature. The platform allows access to a limited number of streaming apps like Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix and Prime Video.[67][68]

Past products

Vizio has previously produced other products in addition to televisions and soundbars. In 2011, Vizio introduced the Via Tablet and Via Phone, its first tablet and mobile phone products.[69] The following year, Vizio began producing laptops, creating a lineup of PC computers that came in ultrabook and notebook models.[70] Also in 2012, Vizio introduced several HD Android smartphones in Asian markets, including China,[71] and began selling the "Vizio Co-Star," a Google TV digital media player.[72] In 2013, the company released the Vizio Tablet PC, its first Windows 8 tablet.[73] The company stopped producing tablets and computers in 2014.[74]

In November 2015, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Office of the New Jersey Attorney General brought charges against Vizio, alleging it collected non-personal information on its customers and sold it to advertisers.[75][76] In February 2017, Vizio agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle the charges.[77][78][79][80] The settlement required Vizio to delete the data it had captured and update its data collection practices. After the settlement, the company only collected data from TV units that opted in through disclosures.[81]

In October 2021, Vizio was sued by the Software Freedom Conservancy for violations of the GNU General Public License by failing to provide source code.[82] SFC stated in the lawsuit that Vizio was "not providing and technical information that copyleft licenses require, Vizio was not even informing its customers about copylefted software and the rights it gives them as consumers."[83][84] On November 29, 2021, Vizio filed a request to remove the case into US federal court.[85][86] On May 13, 2022, federal district court judge Josephine Staton sided with SFC and granted a motion to send the lawsuit back to Superior Court, to answer breach-of-contract claims.[87] A trial is expected in September 2025.[83]

Sponsorships

In October 2010, Vizio signed a 4-year contract to sponsor the annual college football Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California, beginning with the 2011 Rose Bowl and ending with the 2014 BCS National Championship Game.[88]

When the Rose Bowl contract ended, Vizio signed a contract to sponsor the Fiesta Bowl.[89]

See also

References

  1. ^ Muskett, Lauren (May 8, 2020). "CFOs On the Move: Week Ending May 8". CFO.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Lafayette, Jon (January 11, 2021). "The Five Spot: Mike O'Donnell, Chief Revenue Officer of Platform Business, Vizio". nexttv.com. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Executive Management". Vizio.
  4. ^ a b Lawton, Christopher, Iwatani Kane, Yukari and Dean, Jason."U.S. Upstart Takes On TV Giants in Price War Archived 2017-08-21 at the Wayback Machine", The Wall Street Journal, April 15, 2008. Retrieved on April 15, 2008.
  5. ^ Hussain, Suhauna (July 7, 2019). "How I Made It: He lost money as a young CEO. Then he founded TV giant Vizio". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "How Vizio conquered TV". Fortune. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Carlson, Chris (September 7, 2007). "Upstart Vizio is top flat-screen TV seller for now". MSNBC.com. AP. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  8. ^ JournalNow Staff (April 20, 2008). "Vizio boss had vision: affordable flat panels". Winston-Salem Journal. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  9. ^ Beijing, Christopher Lawton in San Francisco, Yukari Iwatani Kane in Tokyo and Jason Dean in (April 16, 2008). "U.S. Upstart Takes On TV Giants in Price War". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Pham, Alex (October 13, 2007). "Focusing on the big picture gives Vizio edge in TV market". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  11. ^ Roettgers, Janko (February 24, 2016). "Google to Add Casting to TV Sets, Starting With Vizio (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  12. ^ Newton, Casey (July 24, 2015). "Vizio just filed to become a public company". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  13. ^ "Vizio reveals how it secretly tracks what you're watching in IPO plan". Fortune. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "To see why LeEco bought Vizio, look at the Chinese company's smartphones". Los Angeles Times. July 27, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  15. ^ Schiff, Allison (October 28, 2020). "Vizio Reorgs around Its Data Biz with the Full Integration of Inscape". AdExchanger. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  16. ^ "Chinese electronics firm LeEco will acquire TV maker Vizio for $2 billion [Update]". Ars Technica. July 26, 2016. Archived from the original on April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  17. ^ "Vizio's $2-billion sale to LeEco called off over 'regulatory headwinds'". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 2017. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  18. ^ "Are Going-Out Companies Paying Too Much?". China Daily. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021.
  19. ^ Hautala, Laura (April 10, 2017). "LeEco deal to buy Vizio for $2 billion falls through". CNET. Archived from the original on April 10, 2017.
  20. ^ Amadeo, Ron (April 10, 2017). "LeEco's abandoned Vizio acquisition is just the latest in a series of missteps". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 10, 2017.
  21. ^ Spangler, Todd (February 14, 2024). "Walmart Eyeing Deal to Buy Vizio for More Than $2 Billion: Report". Variety. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  22. ^ Maddaus, Gene (December 1, 2018). "Vizio and LeEco Settle Dispute Over Busted $2 Billion Sale". Variety. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  23. ^ Welch, Chris (August 1, 2018). "Vizio is launching a free streaming service and giving it its own TV input". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  24. ^ Katzmaier, David. "Vizio's new 2018 TVs: affordable, accent on picture quality". CNET. Archived from the original on August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  25. ^ "Vizio Gets Into Advertising, Boosts Smart TV Sales". Ocbj.com. June 9, 2020. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  26. ^ a b Welch, Chris (March 1, 2021). "Vizio files to go public, has sold over 80 million TVs". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  27. ^ "Vizio Tops 12M Active Accounts as It Plans IPO". FierceVideo. March 2, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  28. ^ "Vizio, A Smart TV Maker Built for Streaming Revolution, Goes Public". Deadline. March 25, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  29. ^ "TV Maker Vizio Falls in Debut after Downsized IPO". Bloomberg. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  30. ^ "TV Maker Vizio Valued at $3.2 Billion after Opening 17% Lower in NYSE Debut". Reuters. March 25, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  31. ^ Hayes, Dade (March 25, 2021). "Vizio, A Smart TV Maker Built For Streaming Revolution, Goes Public". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  32. ^ "VIZIO Holding Corp. Announces Resignation of Bill Baxter as Chief Technology Officer" (Press release). Market Screener. January 4, 2022.
  33. ^ "Walmart Completes Acquisition of VIZIO". Walmart. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  34. ^ "Walmart Completes Acquisition of VIZIO" (Press release). Business Wire. December 3, 2024.
  35. ^ Roth, Emma (December 3, 2024). "Walmart bought Vizio". The Verge.
  36. ^ Meyersohn, Nathaniel (February 20, 2024). "Why Walmart is buying Vizio". CNN.
  37. ^ "Vizio CEO Predicts Declining TV Prices, Possible IPO". The Wall Street Journal. December 21, 2009. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017.
  38. ^ "Vizio tops in LCD TV sales in second quarter". CNET.
  39. ^ "Another Manufacturer Drops Plasma". The New York Times. February 11, 2009. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
  40. ^ Roettgers, Janko (March 21, 2016). "Vizio Gets Ready to Launch First TVs, Speakers with Google Cast (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  41. ^ Patel, Nilay (March 22, 2016). "How Vizio and Google radically reinvented the TV". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  42. ^ Archer, John. "Vizio Unveils New High-Performance 4K TVs And Sound Bars". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  43. ^ a b Spangler, Todd (April 7, 2020). "Vizio Adds 30 Free Streaming Channels to Smart TVs". Variety. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  44. ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (July 24, 2018). "Vizio's 2018 flagship P-Series Quantum TV is now available for $2,099.99". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  45. ^ "Vizio rolls out its Apple AirPlay and HomeKit integrations to its SmartCast TV platform". TechCrunch. July 31, 2019. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  46. ^ "This affordable Vizio TV goes toe-to-toe with the best in its class". Reviewed. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  47. ^ a b c d Larsen, Rasmus (June 2, 2021). "Vizio unveils 2022 line-up of P-series, M-Series 4K LCD TVs". Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  48. ^ "Vizio celebrates first annual quantum color month" (Press release). March 4, 2021. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  49. ^ Cohen, Steven. "The Vizio P-Series Quantum 4K TV offers fantastic HDR and gaming features, but it's a better choice when it's on sale for less than $1,000". BusinessInsider. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  50. ^ "Vizio P Series Quantum 2020 Review (P65Q9-H1, P75Q9-H1)". RTINGS.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  51. ^ a b Pino, Nick (June 2, 2021). "Vizio TV lineup: every V-Series, M-Series, P-Series and D-Series TV coming this year". TechRadar. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  52. ^ Pendlebury, Ty. "Vizio's 2020 LCD TVs bring quantum dots, more dimming zones, better gaming". CNET. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  53. ^ Cipriani, Jason (June 30, 2020). "Vizio's 2021 lineup launches today, with its first OLED TV and Elevate soundbar arriving this fall". CNN Underscored. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  54. ^ Chin, Monica (May 5, 2020). "Vizio conquered the smart TV; now it wants to put Atmos in your living room". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  55. ^ a b Chin, Monica (May 5, 2020). "Vizio conquered the smart TV; now it wants to put Atmos in your living room". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  56. ^ "Vizio debuts three soundbars with Dolby Atmos to complement its 2018 4K TVs". www.digitaltrends.com. April 10, 2018. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  57. ^ "Digital Trends Top Tech of CES 2020 Award Winners". Digital Trends. January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  58. ^ Cohen, Simon (December 15, 2020). "Vizio M-Series 5.1 soundbar shows up as a Costco exclusive for $300". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  59. ^ a b c "VIZIO Elevates Award-Winning Sound Bar Lineup with Enhanced Audio and More Atmos Models". Vizio.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  60. ^ a b Pendlebury, Ty. "Best soundbar for 2021: Yamaha, Klipsch, Vizio, Sonos and more". CNET. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  61. ^ a b "Vizio's 2022 soundbar lineup will boast more eARC models". TechHive. June 2, 2021. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  62. ^ "Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 review: This mid-range soundbar delivers big, dynamic sound". TechHive. May 31, 2021. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  63. ^ "The 3 Best Vizio Soundbars of 2021: Reviews". RTINGS.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  64. ^ "Vizio's smart TV software is actually good now". TechHive. January 7, 2020. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  65. ^ "VIZIO Explains SmartCast [VIDEO]". TV[R]EV. December 16, 2020. Archived from the original on July 22, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  66. ^ "Vizio's SmartCast Platform Grows, Ad Biz Revenues Climb". Mediapost.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  67. ^ "Vizio updates SmartCast platform with Vizio Voice feature". Telecompaper.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  68. ^ "Vizio unveils 2022 line-up of P-series, M-Series 4K LCD TVs". FlatpanelsHD. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  69. ^ Kane, Yukari Iwatani (January 2, 2011). "Vizio Extends Battle Plan". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  70. ^ D'Orazio, Dante (June 14, 2012). "Vizio's new Notebook and Thin + Light unibody ultrabooks available today for $898 (hands-on)". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  71. ^ H, Michael (January 7, 2013). "Vizio shows off new HD smartphones for China". Phone Arena. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  72. ^ Bishop, Bryan (January 10, 2012). "Vizio introduces Google TV-powered VAP430 media streamer (updated: $99?)". The Verge. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  73. ^ "Vizio debuts its first Windows 8 tablet, an 11.6-inch slate with a 1080p display, AMD processor". Engadget. January 6, 2013. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  74. ^ "Vizio rethinking PC strategy in weak market". PCWorld. July 14, 2014. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  75. ^ Angwin, Julia (November 16, 2015). "Own a Vizio Smart TV? It's watching you". Business Insider. ProPublica. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019.
  76. ^ Maheshwari, Sapna (February 7, 2017). "Is Your Vizio Television Spying on You? What to Know". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020.
  77. ^ Visser, Nick (February 7, 2017). "Vizio To Pay Millions After Secretly Spying On Customers". HuffPost. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021.
  78. ^ "Vizio agrees to pay $2.2 million to settle FTC's television-spying case". The Washington Post. February 6, 2017. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017.
  79. ^ Tsukayama, Hayley (February 7, 2017). "Vizio TVs were spying on their owners, the government says". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020.
  80. ^ Henderson, Juliana Gruenwald (February 6, 2017). "VIZIO to Pay $2.2 Million to FTC, State of New Jersey to Settle Charges It Collected Viewing Histories on 11 Million Smart Televisions without Users' Consent" (Press release). Federal Trade Commission. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017.
  81. ^ Steele, Billy (February 6, 2017). "Vizio tracked and sold your TV viewing habits without consent". Engadget. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020.
  82. ^ Vaughan-Nichols, Steven J. (October 19, 202). "Software Freedom Conservancy sues Vizio for GPL violations". ZDNet.
  83. ^ a b "Current Status of Vizio Case". Software Freedom Conservancy.
  84. ^ "Vizio lawsuit" (PDF). Software Freedom Conservancy.
  85. ^ "Docket for Software Freedom Conservancy, Inc. v. Vizio, Inc., 8:21-cv-01943". CourtListener.
  86. ^ "First Update on the Vizio lawsuit". Software Freedom Conservancy.
  87. ^ Claburn, Thomas (May 16, 2022). "GPL legal battle: Vizio told it will face contract claims". theregister.com.
  88. ^ Casacchia, Chris (October 19, 2010). "Vizio Nabs Four-Year Rose Bowl Presenting Sponsorship". Orange County Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017.
  89. ^ "Vizio signs up for Fiesta Bowl sponsorship". American City Business Journals. October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizio_Inc.