Amazon has unveiled a new range of higher-end tablets featuring its Alexa+ voice assistant and Google’s Android operating system, as the company seeks to move beyond the budget segment of the market.
The company said on Thursday that its new Alexa Tablets would come in several versions, with prices ranging from $230 to $550. The devices feature aluminium cases, replacing the plastic used on its Fire tablets.
The top model, with 128 gigabytes of storage, will cost $550, compared with $450 for an Apple iPad and $550 for Samsung’s Galaxy tablet.
The launch marks a shift in strategy under Amazon’s devices chief, Panos Panay, as the company moves towards more expensive devices after years of selling low-cost tablets to attract customers to its Prime Video, Kindle, music and e-commerce services.
Amazon had developed the new tablets under the code name Kittyhawk as part of a move away from its Fire OS, a modified version of Android that has faced criticism from consumers and app developers.
With Android, users of the new tablets will have access to a wider range of applications than those available through the Fire OS app store.
Alexa+, an advanced artificial intelligence-powered version of Amazon’s voice assistant, will be integrated into the devices to answer questions and perform tasks using generative AI. Access to Alexa+ will require an Amazon Prime membership or an Alexa+ subscription.
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The launch comes as global tablet sales decline. According to IDC data, worldwide tablet shipments fell 12 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter to 33.6 million units.
Amazon’s share of the global tablet market also fell to 1.9 per cent in the second quarter from 8 per cent a year earlier, while Apple led the market with 34 per cent, followed by Samsung with 17.5 per cent.
Amazon said existing Fire OS tablets would continue to work, although it did not say whether it would continue maintaining the operating system or its app store.
The new tablets will also carry advertising on their lock screens, with customers required to pay a one-time $20 fee to remove the adverts, except for the highest-priced Alexa Tablet, which will not have them.
