1 hr ago
Amazon Unveils Premium Android Tablets Featuring Alexa+ and Higher Prices
Amazon has announced a new family of tablets called Alexa Tablets.
Unlike its older Fire tablets, they run on Google’s Android system.
The new tablets cost more, with prices ranging from $230 to $550.
They have aluminum cases and include Alexa+, an AI voice assistant.
People need Prime or an Alexa+ subscription to use Alexa+.
Android lets customers access apps beyond Amazon’s Fire app store.
Amazon says it wants to sell more premium devices.
The launch comes as tablet sales are falling and Amazon’s share of the global market has dropped.
Some models show ads on the lockscreen, and removing them costs an extra fee.
Amazon introduced its first tablets running Google’s Android operating system instead of its Fire OS.
The Alexa Tablet line starts at $230, with some models priced as high as $550.
The tablets use aluminum cases and feature Alexa+, Amazon’s generative-AI-powered voice assistant.
Using Alexa+ requires an Amazon Prime membership or an Alexa+ subscription.
Amazon is shifting toward higher-priced devices as tablet sales and its global market share have fallen.
- Who
- Amazon
- What
- Launched its first tablets running Android, featuring Alexa+ and higher prices than its recent Fire tablets.
- Where
- The launch was announced by Amazon, a Seattle-based company; no launch location was specified.
- When
- Thursday; the article does not specify a date.
- Why
- Amazon is shifting toward premium devices and using Android and Alexa+ to attract customers.
Amazon’s rationale
Consumer costs and market concerns
Higher prices and premium features
Amazon’s rationale
Amazon is moving upscale with aluminum-bodied tablets, Android app access, and Alexa+ features.
Consumer costs and market concerns
The new tablets cost substantially more than Amazon’s recent Fire HD 10, which cost upwards of $180, and some models charge extra to remove ads.
Lockscreen advertising
Amazon’s rationale
An Amazon spokesperson said ads help customers discover relevant content and help fund other innovations.
Consumer costs and market concerns
Customers who want ads removed must pay a one-time $20 fee, up from $15 for Fire OS tablets.
Key facts
- Product line
- Alexa Tablets
- Operating system
- Google’s Android, replacing Amazon’s Fire OS on the new tablets
- Starting prices
- $230 to $500, depending on the version; the top model is listed at $550
- Top model
- 128 gigabytes of memory and a $550 price
- Alexa+ access
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership or an Alexa+ subscription
- Ad removal
- A one-time $20 fee; the highest-priced Alexa Tablet will not have lockscreen ads
- Global tablet market
- Amazon held 1.9% of the market in the second quarter, down from 8% a year earlier, according to IDC
Sources
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