After fifteen years of offering Fire tablets, Amazon has announced a significant shift in its hardware strategy. The company is phasing out the Fire brand entirely, replacing it with a new lineup of Alexa-branded tablets that run on Google-certified Android.
Historically, Amazon’s Fire tablets operated on Fire OS, a custom fork of Android that deliberately minimized integration with Google services. While these devices could run Android applications from Amazon’s proprietary Appstore, they lacked access to Google’s ecosystem. This approach changed last year when Amazon shut down its own app store, creating the impetus for the transition to standard Google services.
The new Alexa Tablets now come equipped with the Google Play Store and full access to mainstream Android applications. This marks a stark contrast to Amazon’s streaming sticks, which have moved away from Android entirely in favor of a custom Linux-based operating system called Vega OS.
The updated lineup includes three devices, all featuring redesigned unibody aluminum chassis. The entry-level Alexa Tablet 8 is priced at $230, while the larger 11-inch model starts at $330. Both are powered by the MediaTek 8189 processor, representing a performance upgrade over previous generations. Additionally, the screens utilize a 16:10 aspect ratio, optimized for video consumption, though Amazon has indicated that the flagship model within the series will feature distinct specifications.
Interesting that their streaming sticks dropped Android while tablets adopted it. Guess they decided the tablet market wasn’t worth the firewall effort anymore.
Finally! I tired of sideloading apps on the old Fire tablets. Google Play access makes these actually useful.