Amazon Challenges Samsung with Its First Lifestyle Television
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Amazon Rivals Samsung's The Frame with Its First 'Lifestyle' TV
The new Ember Artline is designed to look like a gallery painting when you aren't watching. Steve Hogarty, Tech critic, Wednesday 15 April 2026 14:21 BST.
The television is the focal point of most living rooms, despite often appearing as an ominous black rectangle. Samsung previously challenged this norm with The Frame (£899, Samsung.com), a television disguised as gallery art when not in use. Now, Amazon is entering the so-called "lifestyle TV" category with the launch of the Ember Artline.
First unveiled at CES and demonstrated to IndyBest in London, the Ember Artline starts at £949.99 (Amazon.co.uk). It is a 4K QLED television equipped with a special matte screen that eliminates glare. When not streaming the latest boxset, it transforms into a convincing painting, potentially fooling guests into thinking you have a Tate membership rather than a penchant for reality TV shows like Married at First Sight.
The effect is remarkably realistic. An ambient light sensor at the bottom of the frame adjusts the screen's brightness to match surrounding light levels, creating a convincingly flat image. If not for the furniture oriented towards it, one could easily mistake the television for a piece of framed art.
Enhanced Features and Competitive Edge
To complete the illusion, the Ember Artline includes a flush-to-the-wall recessed mount and a physical, wood-effect frame that snaps magnetically onto the bezel. In a direct challenge to Samsung, which charges extra for customisable bezels, Amazon offers a choice of 10 frame colours included in the box at no additional cost. If you redecorate later, replacement frames start at £74.99 for the 55-inch model.
The television comes pre-loaded with a library of over 2,000 pieces of art, ranging from Monet classics to modern animated works. Unlike Samsung, which requires a subscription for full access, these artworks are provided free of charge. A clever AI feature uses your smartphone camera to analyse your living room's decor and suggest matching artwork.
It also integrates seamlessly with Amazon Photos. You can use conversational Alexa commands to find specific photos without manual tagging, such as asking, "Alexa, show me pictures with nan from that hiking trip in the Lake District."
Design and Technical Specifications
While The Frame uses a single wire connected to a separate box for HDMI ports, Amazon has opted to keep all processing components and ports built directly into the TV. This eliminates the need for an external box but requires creative cable management for multiple devices like games consoles and soundbars to maintain the minimalist aesthetic.
To avoid confusion, Amazon is rebranding its entire Fire TV range as Ember. The Ember Artline will be the first to launch with Amazon's completely overhauled Fire TV interface, which promises to be 30 percent faster and less cluttered. It leverages the new Alexa+ conversational AI for easier content navigation, allowing back-and-forth dialogues to refine searches, such as finding a comedy starring Paul Rudd.
Alongside the TV, Amazon announced the new entry-level Fire TV Stick HD (£39.99, Amazon.co.uk). Measuring just 22mm thick, it is the company's slimmest streaming dongle yet. It draws power directly from the TV's USB port, eliminating extra cables, and features upgraded Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.
The Amazon Ember Artline will initially be available in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes. Pre-orders are live, with the first units expected to ship in the UK by June.
