Amazon replaces Fire with Alexa Tablets starting at $230

Amazon is retiring the Fire tablet brand and replacing it with three Alexa Tablets. The new range, covered in The Rundown, runs Android with full Google Play access and Alexa+ built in.

In its October 8 announcement, Amazon set starting prices at $229.99 for the Alexa Tablet 8, $329.99 for the Tablet 11, and $499.99 for the Tablet 12 Pro. U.S. shipments are scheduled to begin October 14.

What changes

Google Play brings apps such as Gmail and YouTube into Amazon’s tablet experience without the old Fire OS restrictions. Amazon’s developer FAQ directs app makers to distribute apps for the new tablets through Google Play, with an exception for Amazon Kids+ apps. App sales, engagement data, and payments also move to Google’s developer systems.

The 12 Pro pairs a 120Hz screen with a 4nm chip. Its $499.99 configuration has 8GB of RAM, with options reaching 16GB. Amazon claims nearly three times the processing performance and nine times the graphics performance of its earlier tablets.

Amazon says optional screen awareness lets Alexa+ pull dates into a calendar or find an Amazon product spotted in a TikTok video. Screen access is off by default.

In WIRED’s October 8 report, Amazon said it expected to stop shipping Fire tablets within one or two months, with support lasting four years after the final shipment.

Why it matters

Amazon held 8% of global tablet shipments in Q2 2025, behind Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo, according to IDC’s preliminary figures. IDC’s Q2 2026 analysis reported a 12.3% annual drop in global shipments, with Amazon outside the top five.

The outgoing Fire range cost $60 to $280, according to WIRED. At roughly $230, the new starting price asks much more of shoppers who wanted the cheapest Fire models. Alexa+ now needs to give buyers a reason to choose Amazon beyond the price.

Google Play removes an important compromise for people who want familiar apps. That could make the tablets easier to consider, while leaving Amazon’s hardware and assistant to supply distinct reasons to choose them.

Pulling a date from the screen could cut the steps between reading a schedule and saving an event. Finding a product from a TikTok video could shorten a shopping search. These are practical tasks that could make Alexa+ useful beyond an initial demonstration.

That convenience also requires screen access. Buyers must weigh the benefit against their comfort with letting Alexa+ read what they are viewing. People who leave access off will need enough value from the rest of the tablet to justify its price.

The Pro’s 120Hz display and memory options give buyers other reasons to consider the hardware. The open question for Alexa+ is whether it can save effort reliably in tasks people repeat. A calendar shortcut loses value if someone has to keep fixing the entries it creates.