Philips AmbiScape TVs to support Matter-over-Thread for more lamps

New Philips Ambilight TVs can extend mood lighting to external lamps via AmbiScape. Next year, Matter-over-Thread will be added, allowing more lamps to be connected.

Philips is launching AmbiScape this year, an extension of Ambilight. It will work on select 2026 models.

With AmbiScape, the TV's Ambilight mood lighting effect while playing games, watching movies or series or while listening to music can be wirelessly extended to E27 smart bulbs from Wiz, NanoLeaf, Hue and Ikea. Currently, up to four lamps can be connected via Matter-over-WiFi.


Matter-over-Thread
At last week's IFA show in Berlin, Philips revealed some details about next year's plans, which will significantly expand AmbiScape:

- "As the next step, TP Vision plans to introduce Matter over Thread support and certification in the first half of 2027. The feature is scheduled to debut on 2027 Philips Ambilight TV models before being rolled out to compatible 2026 models. Matter over Thread support will broaden compatibility with additional smart-lighting products. TP Vision is also exploring raising the current limit of four connected lights," the company said.

Thread is a network protocol that uses far less power than WiFi. Thread can be built directly into the lamps and does not require an additional hub – a Philips Hue hub is therefore no longer necessary. Instead, Thread strengthens the connected home connection as more Thread devices are added by building a mesh network.


Support for more lamps next year
Flatpanels heard talk at IFA of support for up to 10 lamps over Thread, as opposed to four lamps today, but Philips stressed that the expanded AmbiScape specification is not yet finalized.

Matter-over-Thread should also further reduce latency when external lamps in the living room link to Ambilight on Philips TVs.