Amazon launches new Alexa tablets running full Android

Summarised from 6 outlets · 14 reports · Updated 8 Oct, 14:08 · Archive

Amazon has unveiled a new line of Alexa tablets running full Android with Google Play Store access, replacing its Fire tablet range.

Amazon has announced a complete redesign of its tablet lineup, moving away from the Fire brand that it has used for 15 years. The new Alexa tablets represent what Amazon describes as 'the biggest leap' the company has made in tablet development. The lineup comprises three models: the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro at $500, the Alexa Tablet 11 at $330, and the Alexa Tablet 8 at $230. Kids' editions of the two smaller tablets are also available at the same prices, bundled with protective cases and a year of Amazon Kids+ service.

The most significant change is that the new tablets run full Android with complete access to Google Play Store, rather than the customised Fire OS that has limited the app selection on previous Amazon tablets. According to Amazon's senior vice president Panos Panay, 'Google Play was a necessity, end of story.' This represents a fundamental shift in Amazon's tablet strategy, moving from loss-leader devices designed to funnel customers into Amazon's ecosystem towards premium tablets intended to compete with iPads and Samsung Galaxy tablets.

The flagship Alexa Tablet 12 Pro features a 12-inch display available in two configurations: a standard glossy screen and a Nanomatte option with anti-glare coating similar to Apple's nano-texture technology. The Nanomatte display dramatically reduces glare and gives the screen a more paper-like feel. The tablet measures 6.5mm thick and features an aluminum unibody design. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor and comes with 8GB or 12GB of RAM options.

Amazon says the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro delivers nearly three times the processing performance and nine times the graphics performance of any tablet it has shipped before, making it capable of handling multitasking, graphics-intensive gaming, and 4K streaming. The two smaller tablets are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8189 processor. All three models feature high-resolution displays with a 3:2 aspect ratio, which Amazon says provides more usable screen space for reading, watching, and working.

Central to the new tablets is Alexa+, Amazon's AI-powered version of its voice assistant. The tablets feature persistent 'Ask Alexa' widgets and support on-screen intelligence, allowing Alexa to read and contextually understand what appears on the screen. Users can ask Alexa to summarise web pages, identify products for purchase, suggest nearby restaurants, or provide visual intelligence by pointing the camera at objects. The tablets also support 'live sessions' for free-form conversation with the assistant.

Amazon will discontinue its Fire tablet line, with shipping ending within the next month or two. The company commits to supporting existing Fire tablets for four years from their last ship date. The new Alexa tablets will launch with Android 16 and are guaranteed at least four years of software updates, with Android 17 expected in early 2027. Preorders begin immediately, with shipping commencing on 14 October.

How it is being reported

• Amazon’s new Kids Tablets let parents manage access to the Google Play storeAlongside its new collection of Alexa Tablets that run Android with full access to the Google Play store, Amazon is introducing kid versions with similar functionality but the ability for parents to limit what software and content they have access to. The Amazon Kids Tablets also come with two different styles of colorful cases featuring […]The Verge · 8 Oct, 14:48
• Amazon overhauls aging devices lineup with higher priced Alexa tablet, dumping the budget FireThe company said the Alexa tablet's improved speed and performance, artificial intelligence features and upgraded design warrant a higher price tag.CNBC · 8 Oct, 14:02
• Amazon is releasing kids' versions of its new Alexa TabletsThe new Amazon Kids Tablets come in two sizes and can be bundled with one of two styles of case.Engadget · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon's new Alexa tablets include a 12-inch model with anti-glare screenAmazon has launched three new tablets that come with Alexa+.Engadget · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon’s Alexa Tablets are coming for the iPadAmazon is launching a new lineup of tablets that bear almost no resemblance to any tablet Amazon has ever launched before. They're not even called Fire, the name Amazon has used for its tablets for the last 15 years. They're called Alexa Tablets, and they're designed to do two things: bring Alexa Plus to the […]The Verge · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon's new Alexa tablets will have full access to Google PlayYou'll be able to access Google Play and its apps on the new Amazon Alexa tablets.Engadget · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Hands-on with Amazon’s Alexa Tablet 12 Pro and its wild new matte displayAmazon's Fire tablets are notable for being dirt cheap. While they're great for kids, they don't offer a premium Android tablet experience. The company's new $499 Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is an attempt to build a device someone might actually want to use. It's one of a few new Android tablets Amazon announced today, and […]The Verge · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon unveils new Alexa tablets with Alexa+ and Google Play Store accessThe lineup includes three models: Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Amazon Alexa Tablet 11, and Amazon Alexa Tablet 8.TechCrunch · 8 Oct, 14:00
• The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is Amazon's first full Android tablet — and it might rival the iPad AirI went hands-on with the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, which Amazon describes as ‘the biggest leap’ in tablets it has ‘ever made’.TechRadar · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Alexa Tablet 11, Alexa Tablet 8: Specs, Features, PriceThe three new aluminum Alexa Tablets now run Android with full access to the Google Play Store. There are versions for kids too.Wired · 8 Oct, 14:00
• The New Alexa Tablets Feel Like a Blueprint for an Amazon PhoneAmazon is rumored to be making a smartphone, and the Alexa-powered experiences on its new tablets give us a taste of what might come if that happens.Wired · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro hands-on: Taking aim at the iPad Pro for less than half the priceIt's a promising tablet that starts at about $500.Engadget · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro vs Amazon Fire HD 10: What's changed, and is the upgrade worth it?Amazon's best tablet ever didn't have to work hard for the title, but a new nanomatte screen and Kindle mode sweeten the deal.Engadget · 8 Oct, 14:00
• Every Amazon Fire tablet is on sale right now — but you might still want to waitAmazon's Fire tablets are cheaper than usual right now thanks to Prime Day, but they might also soon be superseded.TechRadar · 7 Oct, 15:00

In this story: Amazon · Google · Apple · Samsung · Panos Panay · Eric Saarnio

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