Amazon replaces Fire Tablets with Android-based Alexa devices
Amazon announced it is phasing out its Fire brand tablets in favor of new devices running standard Android.
New branding and operating system
The company confirmed the shift from Fire OS to proper Android for its upcoming hardware. These new Alexa Tablets will have full access to the Google Play Store. This change addresses previous limitations where many Google apps were only available through a web browser.
Reasons for the brand change
Amazon leadership stated the old line did not give customers what they were asking for. Specific complaints included in-your-face advertising on the lock screen and lower-quality hardware specifications. The firm plans to continue providing security updates for existing Fire tablets without further refreshes.
Future hardware announcements
Executives indicated more hardware launches are coming throughout the fall season. However, Amazon explicitly said customers should not expect a laptop or computer from the company soon. The focus remains on improving the tablet experience with better access to standard services.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- Ars Technica
- The Verge
Reported by
2 independent outlets. Headlines as published. Links open the original report.