Amazon Launches Alexa Tablets with Full Google Android and New Premium Features

Image: Ars Technica · Source

Amazon replaced its Fire tablets with Alexa Tablets running Google-certified Android, featuring the Play Store, improved hardware, and premium options like a high-res 12" model with keyboard and stylus.

Amazon has unveiled its new Alexa Tablets, marking a significant shift from the long-running Fire tablet line. For 15 years, Amazon's Fire tablets operated on a customized version of Android called Fire OS, relying on Amazon’s own app store and minimizing Google integration. However, with Amazon shutting down its app store last year, the company has adopted full Google-certified Android for the new Alexa Tablets. This means users now gain access to the Google Play Store and the broad ecosystem of Android apps.

The new lineup includes three models, all featuring sleek unibody aluminum designs and upgraded internals. The Alexa Tablet 8, priced at $230, and the Alexa Tablet 11, at $330, employ a budget MediaTek 8189 processor, an improvement over previous Fire tablets. Both models sport 16:10 aspect ratio displays more suited to video consumption.

At the high end is the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, starting at $500. It offers a taller 3:2 screen ratio optimal for multitasking with side-by-side apps and boasts a sharp 2800×1840 resolution display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 500 nits peak brightness. Options include a $50 matte screen upgrade, and Amazon also sells a $150 keyboard and $90 stylus to enhance productivity. Under the hood, the 12 Pro runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 chip with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.

While the devices integrate fully with Google services, Amazon positions its Alexa voice assistant at the core, allowing conversational interactions with Alexa and personalized recommendations that link back to Amazon shopping.

Though the Alexa Tablets come at higher prices than the previous Fire models, they remain competitive in the market. Apple’s current iPad Mini and iPad Air start at higher price points, while the base iPad is priced at $450 but ties users into the Apple ecosystem. Amazon’s tablets gain a substantial software boost through Google Play support, although the Android ecosystem still lacks many apps optimized specifically for tablets.

The Alexa Tablets are available for preorder now, with shipments beginning October 14. Given Amazon’s platform reach and promotion, these new tablets are expected to become among the most popular Android tablets of 2026.