Amazon replaces Fire tablets with Google-certified Alexa Tablet lineup
Amazon has retired the Fire tablet brand after 15 years, launching three new Alexa Tablets that run full Google-certified Android with Play Store access, departing from the closed Fire OS approach. The lineup includes the $230 Alexa Tablet 8, $330 Tablet 11, and a $500 Tablet 12 Pro with a sharper 120Hz display, more powerful chip, and optional keyboard and stylus accessories.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The shift to Google-certified Android suggests Amazon is prioritizing broader app compatibility and mainstream appeal over its previously walled-off Appstore ecosystem, which it shut down last year. This move diverges from its Fire TV sticks, which went the opposite direction toward custom Linux-based Vega OS, indicating Amazon may be tailoring its OS strategy differently across device categories depending on competitive pressures.
- Amazon has dropped the Fire brand entirely in favor of Alexa-branded tablets.
- All three new tablets are Google-certified, giving full Play Store access unlike prior Fire OS devices.
- The flagship $500 Alexa Tablet 12 Pro offers a 3:2 display, 120Hz refresh rate, and optional keyboard and stylus.
Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 — This is the exact device the article spotlights—Amazon's first tablet with full Google Play integration instead of its old walled-garden app store. If you want a budget-friendly Android tablet with Alexa built in and a sharper 16:10 display for video, this is a timely pick to check out.
See Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-10-08
Published there as: “Amazon's new Alexa Tablets drop the Fire branding but are more Android than ever”
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