Amazon’s Alexa Tablets run Android with Google Play, from $230
Three Alexa Tablets replace the Fire line and ship October 14, with Google Play on board. Alexa+ stays central; the Kids models get a shorter warranty.
By
Naomi Adeyemi
Amazon has announced three Alexa Tablets that run Google-certified Android with the Play Store. They replace the Fire branding that, according to Ars Technica, had marked Amazon’s tablets for the last 15 years.
In brief
- They replace the Fire branding that, according to Ars Technica, had marked Amazon’s tablets for the last 15 years.
- It can interpret what appears on the screen and answer questions about it, and it supports live, ongoing conversations without repeating the wake word before each request.
- For cheaper alternatives, see our guide to the best budget tablets .
The new range covers three sizes and price points, uses aluminum construction and puts the Alexa+ assistant at the center of the software. Pre-orders are open and shipping begins on October 14.
From a closed store to certified Android
Fire tablets always relied on Android underneath, yet Amazon kept that foundation in the background. Apps came from the company’s own Appstore, and Fire OS offered no Google integration. According to Ars Technica, Amazon shut down that app store last year, and the new devices drop the Fire name in favor of Alexa while shipping as Google-certified Android hardware.
In practice, the tablets run full Google versions of Android with the Play Store included. ZDNET describes them as the first of Amazon’s newer tablets to support Google Play rather than only Amazon’s own walled app store.
Alexa+ stays at the core, Gemini can join
Opening Google’s ecosystem does not sideline Amazon’s assistant. Users can run Gemini or any other AI app that works on Android, but Alexa+ remains the core of the experience, answering to the “Alexa” wake word, fielding questions and offering product recommendations. Ars Technica adds that it will naturally suggest buying things on Amazon when possible.
The assistant is also built into the interface itself. It can interpret what appears on the screen and answer questions about it, and it supports live, ongoing conversations without repeating the wake word before each request. For background on the assistant, see our earlier report on Alexa+ expanding to more users.
Three models, three budgets
Every model in the lineup trades the plastic shells of older Amazon tablets for an aluminum unibody.
| Feature | Alexa Tablet 8 | Alexa Tablet 11 | Alexa Tablet 12 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | MediaTek 8189 | MediaTek 8189 | MediaTek Dimensity 8400 |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB | 8GB (ZDNET also lists a 16GB option) |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB | 128GB |
| Screen ratio | 16:10 | 16:10 | 3:2 |
The two smaller models share a chip and a widescreen shape that Ars Technica says suits video, so the main gap between them is memory. The 12 Pro has a taller ratio better suited to running apps side by side, and a 2800×1840 panel refreshing at 120 Hz with 500 nits of peak brightness, according to Ars Technica. A matte display option adds $50, starting at $550, while the stylus sells for $90 and the keyboard for $150.
Kids models, warranty and the iPad question
Amazon also introduced the Kids Tablet 8, from $230, and the Kids Tablet 11, from $330. Both move from Fire OS to Android with Google Play, and parents keep control over which apps children can access and download. The catch is coverage: ZDNET reports a one-year limited warranty, down from the two-year worry-free guarantee on earlier kids’ tablets.
Play Store access on adult and kids models, with parental control over downloads retained.
Shorter one-year warranty on Kids Tablets, and few Android apps optimized for large screens.
That last limit comes from Ars Technica, which notes that despite Google’s repeated promises, there are not many tablet-optimized Android apps. The outlet also sets the new prices against Apple’s range: the base iPad costs $450, the iPad Mini $600 and the iPad Air $750. For cheaper alternatives, see our guide to the best budget tablets.
Featured image. Source: Pexels. Credit: Mike van Schoonderwalt. License: Pexels License.
