Best Buy Launches More Budget-Friendly Xumo Smart TVs

This might sound crazy, but the oft-forgotten Xumo streaming platform might power your next smart TV. A selection of affordable Pioneer-branded Xumo smart TVs will go on sale at Best Buy in November. These TVs start at just $270, yet they boast 4K video resolution, Dolby Vision HDR, Apple AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth audio streaming.

Xumo Play is a free streaming platform owned by Comcast and Charter. As cable television continues to flounder, Comcast and Charter are racing to turn Xumo into a well-known brand. By offering Xumo-powered smart TVs at an extremely low price, Comcast and Charter might convince people to try Xumo Play (or acknowledge its existence, at the very least).

The Xumo TV software is pretty basic, but it supports most major streaming apps (Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, etc) and encourages viewers to watch free content on Xumo Play. Earlier this year, Hisense began offering the first Xumo smart TVs earlier this year. Pioneer is now following suit with its collection of Xumo smart TVs. (For reference, Pioneer is owned by TCL.)

Pioneer’s Xumo smart TVs range from 43 inches to 65 inches. All models offer a 4K 60Hz picture and use a direct-lit LCD panel. Dolby Vision and HDR10 support are included alongside AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth audio streaming (so you can stream audio from your phone through your TV’s speakers). Oddly enough, these TVs also support voice control and come with a microphone-equipped remote. The port selection is also surprisingly robust, with up to three HDMI ports in the larger models (each TV supports HDMI-ARC with one port—perfect those who use a soundbar).

Pricing for the Pioneer Xumo smart TVs is as follows:

• 43-inch Model: $270
• 50-inch Model: $300
• 55-inch Model : $350
• 65-inch Model: $500

Again, these TVs are exclusive to Best Buy. They’ll go on sale sometime this November — an exact launch date hasn’t been revealed. Note that Pioneer’s Xumo smart TV aren’t the cheapest 4K TVs available today. But they’re competitively priced. And, importantly, they’ll be available in-store at Best Buy, so you don’t need to wait for a package to come in the mail. If you’re patient, try waiting for a sale.

Source: Comcast

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