Amazon has launched a new range of tablets built around its AI assistant, Alexa+. The three Amazon Alexa Tablets “run Android, and come with access to the full Google Play Store”, according to Amazon’s announcement on 8 October 2026 [1]. That matters because Google’s app store is where most Android apps live, and Amazon says the tablets will run “millions of apps including YouTube, Netflix, Gmail, and Google Docs” alongside its own Prime Video, Kindle and Audible apps [1].
The launch, the models, prices and dates below are confirmed by Amazon. The performance figures are Amazon’s own claims.
What Amazon is selling
There are three models [1]:
- Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. A 12-inch, 120Hz display, a “4nm 8-core chip with up to 16GB of RAM”, and a 6.5mm aluminium body. It comes with a standard screen or a “Nanomatte” anti-glare screen that Amazon says it developed with Corning. Optional Pro Keyboard and Pro Pen accessories turn it into something closer to a laptop.
- Amazon Alexa Tablet 11. An 11-inch 2.5K display, an 8-core processor and 8GB of RAM, aimed at streaming, gaming and reading.
- Amazon Alexa Tablet 8. An 8.7-inch display in a body weighing 329g.
Amazon also announced Amazon Kids Tablets, bundles with a protective case and a year of its Kids+ subscription [1].
Prices and dates
Amazon gives US dollar prices only [1]:
- 12 Pro: from $499.99 (Nanomatte from $549.99)
- 11: from $329.99
- 8: from $229.99
- Pro Keyboard: $149.99; Pro Pen: $89.99
Amazon says the tablets are “available for purchase today and will ship on October 14, 2026, in the United States, Mexico and Canada”, and will “start shipping in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on October 19” [1]. In other words, orders opened on 8 October; 14 October is a shipping date, not an on-sale date. Amazon’s post does not give UK prices.
Alexa+ as the centre of the device
Amazon says Alexa+ is “built into the core of every tablet” [1]. Users can say “Alexa” or tap a button to call it up without leaving the app they are in. A “live sessions” mode allows a back-and-forth conversation without repeating the wake word [1].
The most significant feature is On-Screen Intelligence: Alexa can “look at what’s on screen” to help, for example reading a page of hiking trails and suggesting one, or pulling dates from a fixture list into a calendar [1]. Software that can read the screen can see a great deal of personal information, so the defaults matter. Amazon says “Every On-Screen Intelligence feature is off by default and requires a deliberate opt-in”, that a visual indicator shows when Alexa is active, and that users can turn any feature off at any time [1].
The performance claim
Amazon says the 12 Pro delivers “nearly three times faster processing and nine times faster graphics than any tablet we’ve ever shipped” [1]. Note the comparison point: Amazon’s own earlier tablets, not rivals such as the iPad. It is also Amazon’s own figure, and TSN has seen no independent tests yet.
Why it is notable
Amazon puts “full Google Play Store” access in the headline of its announcement, next to Alexa+ [1]. Some coverage has framed the launch as Amazon dropping its Fire tablet line; Amazon’s announcement does not say that, so treat it as commentary. What Amazon does say is that this is “an all-new lineup” built around Alexa+ and Google Play [1].
What this does not prove
- That the tablets perform as claimed. The speed and graphics comparisons are Amazon’s own, measured against its own earlier tablets [1].
- How well Alexa+ works on a tablet. Features such as screen reading have only been described by Amazon, not tested by TSN.
- That the Fire tablet line is ending. Amazon’s announcement does not say so.
- UK pricing. Amazon has given a UK shipping date (19 October) but no UK prices in its announcement [1].
The Bottom Line
Amazon’s new tablets combine its own AI assistant with Google’s app store, a combination Amazon itself puts at the centre of the launch. Prices start at $229.99, orders opened on 8 October, and UK shipping starts on 19 October. The screen-reading feature is off unless you turn it on, which is the right default for software that can see everything on the display.
Sources
- Kevin Keith (Vice President, Devices, Amazon), “Introducing all-new Amazon Alexa Tablets—powerful tablets with Alexa+ built in”, About Amazon, 8 October 2026 (company announcement; performance figures are Amazon’s claims). https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-amazon-alexa-tablets-alexa-plus
