Amazon Replaces Fire Tablets with Android Alexa Tablets from $229.99
Amazon is replacing its Fire tablets with a new line of Alexa Tablets. They are the first Amazon tablets to run Android with full access to the Google Play Store. The company announced three models on Thursday, from $229.99 to $549.99.
All three ship on October 14th in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and on October 19th in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
"We’re really proud of this new lineup, and this is just the start," said Kevin Keith, Amazon’s vice president of devices.
Three Sizes, One Pro
The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts at $499.99 with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. It features a 12-inch, 120Hz display. A $549.99 version uses a Nanomatte anti-glare screen developed with Corning. A Pro Keyboard costs $149.99, and a Pro Pen is $89.99.
The Alexa Tablet 11 starts at $329.99, and the 8.7-inch Alexa Tablet 8 at $229.99. Amazon also offers Kids Tablets in both sizes at the same prices. They come with a case, a year of Amazon Kids+, and Google Play access approved by parents app by app.
Alexa+ on the Screen
All tablets have Alexa+, Amazon’s assistant, built-in. On-Screen Intelligence allows Alexa to read what’s displayed on the screen, for example, adding dates from a page to a calendar. This feature is opt-in, and an indicator shows when Alexa is visible on the screen.
Opening the Kindle app switches tablets to reading mode, silencing notifications, cutting blue light, and extending the battery life to up to 20 hours.
The End of Fire
Amazon is no longer making Fire tablets and will support them for four years after the final shipment, according to CNBC. Owners can continue using them as they are today.
The new tablets cost more than the Fire range. Memory chip shortages, as reported by CNBC, have made it “quite tricky” to build a premium tablet at a reasonable price, according to Panos Panay, Amazon’s head of devices.