Amazon Replaces Fire Tablets With Android Alexa Lineup

Amazon is replacing its Fire tablet line with three Android-based Alexa tablets, ending a product range that had offered lower-cost devices with a more limited app selection. The new lineup includes 8-, 11- and 12-inch models, and Amazon has also announced children’s editions of the two smaller tablets. The tablets will use Android and provide access to the Google Play Store, unlike Fire tablets, which used Amazon’s Fire OS and did not offer Google’s app store. Alexa is integrated into the new devices, with a persistent on-screen shortcut and an option to ask questions based on what is displayed. Amazon says that screen-reading feature is opt-in and shows an indicator when active. The largest model, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, has a 12-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its standard-display version starts at $499.99, while the Nanomatte model, designed to reduce reflections, starts at $549.99. Amazon lists configurations with up to 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage. The company says the tablet can provide up to 16 hours of video playback. The Nanomatte screen was observed reducing glare during brief product demonstrations.