Amazon Unveils New iPad Rivals With Alexa+ and Google Play

Amazon contiguous announced a caller lineup of Alexa Tablets, introducing 3 aluminum tablets with Google Play access, integrated Alexa+, and prices starting astatine $229.99 to vie with Apple's iPad lineup.


The caller tablets tally Android, moving distant from Amazon's Fire OS and its abstracted app store. Google Play enactment brings entree to apps specified arsenic YouTube, Gmail, and Google Docs, addressing a longstanding regulation of Amazon's tablets.

The flagship Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts astatine $499.99 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, aiming to rival the iPad Pro astatine a importantly little terms point. It features a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 chip, a 12-inch show with an adaptive refresh complaint of up to 120Hz and a 3:2 facet ratio, a 6.5mm-thick aluminum body, Wi-Fi 6E, and quad Dolby Atmos speakers. Amazon claims that the instrumentality has up to 16 hours of video playback.

A $549.99 mentation adds a "Nanomatte" display, utilizing precision-etched solid developed with Corning to trim glare. Higher configurations connection up to 16GB of RAM. Unlike Apple's nano-texture show option, which requires a 1TB oregon 2TB ‌iPad Pro‌, Amazon's matte decorativeness is disposable with 128GB of storage.


Amazon is besides introducing a $149.99 Pro Keyboard and $89.99 Pro Pen for the 12-inch model. Both connect magnetically, portion the keyboard includes a trackpad and connects without Bluetooth pairing. The pen supports unit sensitivity and wireless charging, and the tablet supports aggregate app windows for multitasking.

The Alexa Tablet 11 starts astatine $329.99 with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, offering an 11-inch 2.5K show with a 90Hz refresh rate. A 128GB mentation costs $379.99. The smaller Alexa Tablet 8 starts astatine $229.99 with an 8.7-inch display, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.


Alexa+ tin reply questions and power astute location devices done dependable oregon touch. An optional On-Screen Intelligence diagnostic lets the adjunct respond to displayed content, with surface entree disabled by default and a ocular indicator erstwhile active. Tablet-specific Alexa+ entree is included, portion afloat entree crossed compatible Alexa devices requires Prime membership oregon a abstracted Alexa+ subscription.

The lineup besides introduces a Kindle speechmaking mode that silences notifications and reduces blue-light output. Amazon quotes up to 20 hours of speechmaking connected the 11-inch and Pro models, and up to 19 hours connected the compact model.

The tablets undercut respective models successful Apple's lineup. The Alexa Tablet 11 starts beneath the $449 entry-level iPad, though Apple's exemplary includes 128GB of storage. The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro costs little than the $749 11-inch iPad Air, portion offering a larger show and higher refresh rate. Apple's $1,199 ‌iPad Pro‌ offers a tandem OLED show and an M5 chip.


Amazon besides announced Kids tablets successful 8.7-inch and 11-inch sizes, starting astatine $229.99 and $329.99, respectively. Versions for ages 3 and up see a brushed bumper case, portion those for ages six and up travel with a slim hard case. Each includes a twelvemonth of Amazon Kids+ and parent-managed entree to Google Play.

Parents tin acceptable screen-time limits, filter content, and show enactment done the Parent Dashboard, besides disposable connected iOS and Android. A caller AI-powered Storybuilder diagnostic lets children usage their voices to make illustrated stories.

Orders unfastened today, with shipping starting October 14 successful the United States, Canada, and Mexico, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain connected October 19. The Kids models besides motorboat successful Japan connected October 14.
This article, "Amazon Unveils New iPad Rivals With Alexa+ and Google Play" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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