New Vizio TVs Will Require Walmart Accounts, Report Says - CNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. The retail giant bought TV manufacturer Vizio in 2024 to push advertising, one report claims. Customers who buy a new Vizio TV may need to sign in with a Walmart account to use streaming features. A Walmart representative confirmed to Ars Technica that its online logins will be “mandatory on select new Vizio OS TVs” for users who set up and install streaming apps. It’s unclear which new models and versions of its OS are affected, and whether this requirement could also apply to existing TVs. A Vizio representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vizio released its latest Quantum 4K TV in January, one of the company’s first new models since Walmart acquired the manufacturer in December 2024. Some industry insiders saw the deal as a way for Walmart to push advertising to Vizio’s large install base. PCMag’s TV expert Will Greenwald confirmed to CNET that he needed “to enable sha