Walmart in talks to buy Vizio for more than $2 bln, WSJ reports::Walmart is in talks to buy smart-television manufacturer Vizio for more than $2 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, a move that could bolster its advertising business and give it control of more than a fifth of the U.S. television market.
Owning Vizio would give Walmart access to an active user base of nearly 18 million people and help unlock Vizio's own software platform business that has annual advertising revenues growing north of 27% at a more than 60% margin rate, said Nicholas Zangler, an analyst at Stephens.
Isn't it just amazing that TV manufacturer companies have dropped any pretense of their value deriving from the quality of TVs, and simply are a means to shove advertising in people's faces?
Soon...
We can buy this company that makes "smart" ovens so that it can play ads while it preheats! Oh, this smart microwave plays a "Totino's" jingle. Oh, this smart fridge shames you for not buying the sponsored brand of grocery item.