Amazon is finally abandoning the walled garden that defined its tablets for well over a decade. The retailer introduced three premium slates on Thursday: the Alexa Tablet 8, the Alexa Tablet 11, and the flagship Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. In doing so, it retired the plastic Fire tablet lineup entirely.
The headlining adjustment sits right on the home screen. Unlike the discarded Fire line, which locked users into Amazon's meager software catalog, these devices ship with full Google Play Store access out of the box. That change immediately lets buyers download standard Android software such as Google Maps, Gmail, and third-party streaming clients without needing workarounds or side-loading tricks.
All three variants switch to aluminum chassis. The entry-level Alexa Tablet 8 starts at $229.99 and carries an 8.7-inch display, a MediaTek 8189 processor, 4GB of RAM, and either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. Amazon claims it lasts for up to 14 hours of video playback. Color choices include Graphite, Rosette, and Teal.
Moving up to the mid-tier option, the $329.99 Alexa Tablet 11 packs the same MediaTek 8189 silicon but upgrades the screen to an 11-inch 2.5K panel refreshing at 90Hz. It doubles memory to 8GB of RAM, keeps the 64GB or 128GB storage options, and is rated for 15 hours of video. It ships in Graphite, Amethyst, and Matcha. Amazon is also selling specialized Kids editions for both the 8.7-inch and 11-inch models for $230 and $330, bundled with protective bumpers and a one-year Kids+ membership.
At the top sits the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, priced from $499.99. Amazon fitted this model with a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor alongside a 12-inch 120Hz screen. Buyers who opt for the 128GB base model get 8GB of RAM, while upgrading to 256GB pushes memory to 16GB. For $550, shoppers can choose a glare-reducing Nanomatte display finish. Productivity add-ons include a $150 magnetically snapping keyboard and the $90 Alexa Tablet Pro Pen, a USI 2.0 stylus boasting 4,096 pressure levels and magnetic wireless charging.
Software duties lean heavily on Alexa+, a revamped conversational assistant tailored for on-screen requests. For reading, Amazon built in a "Kindle Sanctuary" mode, which dims blue light, mutes system alerts, and adjusts the screen into softened color or monochrome to mimic an e-reader.
US orders opened Thursday ahead of an October 14 release date. Pre-orders are also active in Canada and Mexico, while shipments to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain follow on October 19. Amazon has not shared pricing or launch plans for India.
GDFiled by The Gadgets Desk
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