Amazon announces Alexa tablets with Google Play, starting at $499 for Pro

Alexa tablets change Amazon’s app access

Amazon announced its new Alexa tablet family on October 8, 2026, with the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starting at $499. Engadget reports that the lineup replaces Amazon’s Fire tablets and includes 8-inch and 11-inch models alongside the 12-inch Pro.

A practical change is where users get apps. According to Engadget, the new tablets include Google Play Store access, giving users Google’s app marketplace. Previous Fire tablets used Amazon’s FireOS software and its included Amazon app store.

The Android-based interface also includes a gesture from the bottom-right corner that lets Alexa+ analyze the current screen. It can then suggest questions or actions related to what the user is viewing.

During Engadget’s brief hands-on, those suggestions took a few seconds to appear. Shopping suggestions could lead to product results with buttons to buy an item or add it to an Amazon cart.

The $50 screen upgrade has a tradeoff

The $549 Alexa Tablet 12 Pro includes 16GB of RAM, the device’s working memory, and a textured display Amazon calls nanomatte. That version costs $50 more than the starting model.

In a brief side-by-side comparison, Engadget observed fewer overhead-light reflections on the nanomatte screen than on the untreated display. It also reported a slight effect on brightness and readability in direct sunlight. The early observation makes lighting conditions a useful consideration when choosing between the screens.

Accessories carry separate costs. Engadget reports a $90 optional Pro Pen for the Alexa tablets and a $149 optional Pro Keyboard, which it tried with the 12 Pro.

Kindle Mode limits interruptions; battery claims await testing

Kindle Mode is available across the lineup and combines fullscreen reading with muted notifications and reduced blue light. Users can allow exceptions for selected contacts or apps, keeping some alerts active while reading.

Engadget reports that the mode activates when the Kindle app opens. At the time of its hands-on, the Kindle app appeared to be the only supported app, so readers should not assume the same behavior extends to other reading apps.

Amazon promises 16 hours of battery life for the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro and up to 20 hours of reading in Kindle Mode. Those are advertised durations; the supplied hands-on did not verify them.

The early report describes changes to app access, screen options and reading controls. Engadget’s assessment rests on brief use, however, and leaves real-world performance and comparisons with competing tablets for later testing.