Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Amazon Launches Higher-Priced Android Tablets Featuring Alexa+
Amazon has announced a new group of tablets called Alexa Tablets.
They run Android and include access to the Google Play Store, so users can choose from more apps than on older Fire tablets.
The tablets have metal cases and come in three models.
Prices range from $230 to $550.
Each model includes Alexa+, an AI assistant that can answer questions and help with tasks.
Using Alexa+ requires Prime or a separate Alexa+ subscription.
A reading setting can quiet notifications and help the battery last for up to 20 hours of reading.
Some models show ads on the lockscreen, and removing them costs $20.
Amazon is introducing the tablets as its share of the tablet market has declined.
Amazon introduced its first tablets running Android, with Google Play Store support replacing the more restricted Fire OS app experience.
The Alexa Tablet lineup includes three models, with prices starting at $230 and reaching $550; the tablets have aluminum cases.
All three models feature Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-powered assistant, which requires a Prime membership or an Alexa+ subscription.
Amazon says its new reading mode reduces distractions and can optimise battery use for up to 20 hours of reading.
The launch comes as Amazon’s global tablet-market share fell to 1.9% in the second quarter, while lockscreen-ad removal costs $20 on applicable models.
- Who
- Amazon, including its devices chief Panos Panay.
- What
- Introduced its first Android tablets under the Alexa Tablet name, featuring Alexa+.
- When
- Thursday; the article does not specify a date.
- Where
- The announcement was made by Seattle-based Amazon; no launch venue was specified.
- Why
- Amazon is shifting toward higher-priced devices and offering a broader app selection through Android.
Amazon’s case for the new tablets
Costs and market concerns
Premium pricing
Amazon’s case for the new tablets
Amazon is moving toward higher-end devices with aluminum cases, Android app access and Alexa+.
Costs and market concerns
The tablets cost more than Amazon’s recent Fire HD 10, which was priced upwards of $180, and the top Alexa Tablet costs $550.
Lockscreen advertising
Amazon’s case for the new tablets
An Amazon spokesperson said ads help customers discover relevant content and help fund other innovations.
Costs and market concerns
Customers who want ads removed must pay a one-time $20 fee on applicable models, up from $15 for Fire OS tablets.
- Tablet lineup
- Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 and Amazon Alexa Tablet 8
- Prices
- Starting prices range from $230 to $500 across versions; the top model costs $550
- Operating system
- Android, with Google Play Store support
- Alexa+ access
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership or an Alexa+ subscription
- Reading mode
- Amazon says it can optimise battery use for up to 20 hours of reading
- Lockscreen ads
- Removing ads costs a one-time $20 fee on applicable models; the highest-priced tablet will not have the ads
- Amazon market share
- 1.9% of the global tablet market in the second quarter, down from 8% a year earlier, according to IDC
- Market sales
- Worldwide tablet sales fell 12% year over year in the second quarter to 33.6 million units, according to IDC
