AMAZON REPLACES FIRE TABLET BRAND WITH ALEXA TABLETS

Amazon has unveiled a new tablet lineup called Alexa Tablets, retiring the Fire tablet brand used for 15 years, according to reports. The range comprises three devices: the Alexa Tablet 8, the Alexa Tablet 11 and the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. For the first time, the devices are Google-certified Android tablets with full access to the Google Play Store at launch, including apps such as YouTube, Netflix and Gmail. Previous Fire tablets ran a custom version of Android without Google integration, after Amazon shut down its own Appstore last year.

All three models feature a redesigned unibody aluminium housing, Amazon said. The Alexa Tablet 8 starts at $230 and the Alexa Tablet 11 at $330, both running a MediaTek 8189 processor with a 16:10 display suited to video. The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts at $500, with a 3:2 display for running apps side by side, a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 2800x1840 screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Amazon also offers an optional matte display, keyboard and stylus for the 12 Pro.

With Play Store access, users can install Gemini or other Android AI tools, though Amazon's Alexa+ assistant remains central to the tablets, according to reports. Users can speak the "Alexa" wake word to ask questions, request product recommendations and get answers based on what is shown on screen, with the assistant likely to suggest Amazon purchases. The new tablets cost more than previous Fire tablet models, though reports describe the pricing as competitive with other 2026 tablets. The change does not extend to Amazon's Fire TV Stick devices, which run the company's own Vega operating system rather than Android.