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Amazon has unveiled its first tablets running Google’s Android operating system, marking a major shift from the company’s long-running Fire tablet strategy. Announced on October 8, the new Alexa Tablet range is priced from about USD 230 to USD 550 and combines aluminum designs, access to Google Play and Amazon’s Alexa+ assistant. The move signals Amazon’s attempt to compete more directly with Apple and Samsung in the higher-end tablet market.
The launch also represents a change under Amazon Devices chief Panos Panay, as the company moves away from selling inexpensive hardware designed largely to bring customers into its wider ecosystem. Amazon’s Fire tablets have traditionally competed on price, often with compromises in hardware and software.
The biggest change is the switch to Android. Amazon’s previous Fire tablets used Fire OS, a modified version of Android that relied on Amazon’s own app store rather than Google Play. The new Alexa Tablets provide access to the Google Play Store, giving users a much broader selection of apps. The change also addresses a long-standing criticism of Fire tablets, whose smaller app ecosystem could make them less attractive to users and developers.
The range includes smaller and larger models, with prices reaching USD 550 for the top configuration. Amazon is also using aluminum rather than the plastic construction associated with many of its previous Fire devices.
Amazon is putting Alexa+, its more advanced version of the voice assistant, at the heart of the new tablets. The assistant uses generative AI to answer questions and help users carry out tasks across Amazon services and connected devices.
Alexa+ can also work with third-party services such as Uber and Grubhub. Access to the upgraded assistant requires an Amazon Prime membership or a separate Alexa+ subscription. Amazon has invested heavily in rebuilding Alexa around generative AI, hoping the assistant can become a more useful part of everyday computing rather than remaining primarily a smart-home voice tool.
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The higher prices put Amazon into more direct competition with established tablet makers. The company’s top model, priced at up to USD 550, sits close to Apple’s entry-level iPad and Samsung’s comparable offerings.
The move comes at a difficult time for the tablet industry. Global tablet shipments fell 12% year over year in the second quarter to 33.6 million units, according to IDC data cited by Reuters. Amazon’s global tablet share also dropped to 1.9% from 8% a year earlier.
Amazon is therefore betting that better hardware, full Android access and a more capable Alexa can persuade consumers to pay more for its tablets. The company will continue to support existing Fire devices, although it has not clarified the longer-term future of Fire OS and its app store.
