If there were one image, one invention that could encapsulate the progress of technology, it would be the evolution of the humble television. Starting with antennas that you had to adjust, annoying disturbances, TV static interrupting ‘breaking’ news, the television has come quite the distance.
Long gone are the long-lasting dreadful days when you had to wait for the channel to broadcast a show or movie. Today, everything you need is just a few clicks away: from watching Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando or having Money Heist reruns with your friends. Of course, it’s not as simple as I’m making it sound.
Switch your Smart TV on, any Smart TV such as Vizio. After this, you’ll be greeted with several applications that you could install and enjoy, only that many of them turn out to be underwhelming. But for that, you must know how to add apps to Vizio Smart TV?. Once you have done that, donate a few minutes of your time here and find out which are the best apps to get on your Smart TV.
1. Netflix
Ah, of course. Netflix is a must-have for any device and indeed for a Smart TV, the king of streaming platforms. With an incredible array of movies, popular TV shows, and Netflix originals available, statistics say that there’s a reasonable chance that you have a Netflix subscription if you’re interested in getting yourself a Smart TV.
Most Smart TVs even come with the app pre-installed, so you’re good to go once you sign in. Coming with a neat and accessible layout, Netflix is one of the best TV apps you can get.
2. Spotify
Are you big on music? Want that something in the background as you work in the kitchen? Maybe host a dance party or two? Spotify is the app you want. The Netflix of songs, Spotify also has a free subscription option, riddled with ads but free all the same.
You can directly stream music on your TV once you get the app on your Smart TV. For the best experience, including downloading tracks for offline listening, Spotify Premium would cover all your music needs: now through your TV too.
3. VLC media player
This one brings back memories, the good ol’ Windows 07 days when the VLC Media Player was the go-to application on our desktops for watching movies. Did you know that the sweet orange and white traffic cone continues to offer services to this day, including services on smart TVs too?
Capable of playing a wide variety of files, simple layout, and of course, the popular orange theme, VLC Media Player is the app you want to install when a relative brings over movies on their pen-drives. Best part? It’s available for free.
4. Aptoide
This one’s for you Android users out there: how many times have you seen “This app is not compatible with your device” or worse, the app not showing up in PlayStore at all? Worry no more, Aptoide is the easy fix for that problem.
On Aptoide, you can search, find and discover applications that might not be available on Google Play Store. This also includes apps that may not be otherwise available in your region or might not be compatible with your Smart TV. While this might seem sketchy and unreliable, Aptoide is directly supported by app developers, so there’s no cause for worry. Look at it this way, Aptoide is a natural alternative for Google PlayStore, with more options.
5. Haystack
Among the many pre-installed applications with Smart TVs, you would find many news channels, which usually disappoint users with their quality. Most of these focus on a few mainstream subjects, and the sheer number of options might leave you confused.
Instead of searching for a needle in the heap of channels, the answer lies in the question itself: Haystack. It offers a variety of news topics, such as Science, Politics, Sports, and Hollywood, a Smart TV-friendly interface, and brings you news from the best of sources. Of course, it also has the essential weather pane at the bottom, completing the perfect news channel setup.
6. Plex
One of the more useful apps on this list, Plex, is an app through which you can access your offline collection of videos, audios, or photos. With a simple and highly user-friendly layout, you can view videos by connecting your compatible TV to a Plex server previously created through your desktop.
A free app, Plex simplifies the whole process of transferring files using pen drives and wires into two simple steps: create a server and connect the TV to the server. You also can listen to music or load your theme onto the server to enjoy any time.
7. Google Chrome
We all know what Google Chrome is, but there’s a reason why having Chrome on your Smart TV makes sense. Chrome on a big screen opens a wide range of options: including easily viewable recipes and instructions that you could use while cooking or while trying to explain a plan or process to a group of people.
It comes with all the features design softwares that it already offers on your phone or laptop, and while it might not be necessary, it’s a helpful app to have for a quick Google search.
7. YouTube TV
One of the most popular apps since its inception and indeed, the most popular video streaming platform on the internet, YouTube is a must-have app on your Smart TV. While you surely already know of the incredible array of videos that YouTube offers, the Smart TV version comes with its own set of settings and fine-tuning.
The only feature that most Smart TVs don’t offer on YT is the comment sections: the TV app has every function apart from that. From personal experience, watching music videos and gaming errors dancing along with other hits on YouTube TV: maybe now it’s your turn to do so!