The entire 2026 Philips TV line-up, from entry-level to premium models, now features AmbiScape with a simplified installation process. Matter over Thread will follow in 2027.
Philips Ambilight TVs can extend the Ambilight effect far beyond the screen thanks to the fully updated and widely rolled-out version of AmbiScape. According to the manufacturer, the feature is now available across the entire 2026 Philips Ambilight TV line-up. AmbiScape connects to as many as four compatible smart lights and controls them via Matter over Wi-Fi, allowing the colours and atmosphere created by Ambilight to spread further into the room.
As a next step, TP Vision plans to introduce support and certification for Matter over Thread during the first half of 2027. The feature will initially become available on 2027 Philips Ambilight TV models and will subsequently be rolled out to compatible 2026 models. Support for Matter over Thread will provide broader compatibility with additional smart-lighting products. In addition, TP Vision is investigating the possibility of increasing the current maximum of four connected lights.
The news was announced during the recently concluded IFA show in Berlin. Alongside its future plans for AmbiScape, Philips Ambilight also presented its premium range of OLED Ambilight TVs, as well as its partnerships in gaming—with Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed—and sport, through its main global partnership with FC Barcelona.
More Choice: Multiple Brands and More Lights
AmbiScape currently uses Matter over Wi-Fi to connect to compatible smart lights. The supported range includes smart E27 bulbs, while users can connect and control up to four supported lights simultaneously, including combinations of products from different brands.
The planned introduction of Matter over Thread will further expand the range of compatible lighting products from different manufacturers. At the same time, TP Vision is investigating whether the maximum number of connected lights can be increased.
What Is Matter over Thread, and What Are the Benefits?
Matter over Thread combines two technologies. Matter is the universal ‘language’ that allows smart devices from different brands to communicate with one another, while Thread provides a reliable and energy-efficient network.
Thread creates a mesh network, meaning each device connects to nearby devices and passes signals along until they reach their destination. As a result, the technology provides greater range throughout the home and can keep devices connected even if one of the devices in the network drops out.
According to Philips TV, the main benefits are:
- More choice in smart lighting: Matter over Thread allows Philips Ambilight TVs to work with a growing range of smart lights from different brands.
- A stable connection throughout the home: Thread uses an intelligent mesh network in which devices relay signals between one another, helping maintain a reliable connection.
- Ready for the future: More and more manufacturers are supporting Matter over Thread, meaning the possibilities for use with your Ambilight TV should continue to expand.
- Secure and reliable: Matter and Thread have been developed with advanced security and encryption, allowing devices to communicate securely with one another.
- Efficient and energy-saving: Thread consumes little energy and is therefore particularly well suited to smart devices that remain connected for long periods.
In this way, Philips TV can use Ambilight and AmbiScape to reproduce the colours and atmosphere of the screen across an increasing number of smart lights around the room. According to the manufacturer, this creates a viewing experience that extends ever further beyond the boundaries of the TV screen, effectively making the entire room part of the experience.
Simple Installation: Connecting Smart Lights to Your Ambilight TV
Users configure AmbiScape through the Philips Smart TV app and can subsequently activate the feature directly through the quick menu on the TV screen or via the Ambilight settings.
Once AmbiScape has been selected on the TV, all you need to do is follow the step-by-step instructions in the app to connect the lights and assign each one a position in the room. Each connected light can then be configured to synchronise with Ambilight in video or music mode, or alternatively display a selected static colour.
Moreover, the lights respond with low latency, allowing the Ambilight effect to spread beyond the screen and throughout the room with minimal delay.
AmbiScape was first introduced during the fourth quarter of 2025 as a limited test on selected 2025 models. Since then, it has become a popular feature among Ambilight TV owners. On selected 2025/26 models, manual configuration through the TV menu was still required. However, the full 2026 version provides a simpler installation procedure guided through the Philips Smart TV app.
AmbiScape Makes Ambilight Feel Bigger
According to the brand, Ambilight remains a distinctive feature of Philips TVs, creating an experience that feels larger, more immersive and more personal. Philips TV says its appeal is also reflected in the strong loyalty among Ambilight owners: more than 80% say their next television should feature Ambilight again.
‘AmbiScape builds on this enthusiasm by extending the Ambilight effect beyond the TV and further into the room. Smart lights adopt the colours and dynamics of the content on screen, giving viewers greater freedom to flexibly create an immersive environment throughout the room,’ according to the manufacturer.
Availability of AmbiScape and Matter over Thread
The full version of AmbiScape is available on 2026 Philips Ambilight TVs, ranging from the small 32-inch 6901 Series all the way up to the premium and award-winning 2026 OLED+ models.
Support for Matter over Thread is scheduled to be introduced on 2027 Philips Ambilight TV models during the first half of 2027, after which it will also be extended to compatible 2026 models.