Amazon to Launch Its First Android Tablet in 2026

Amazon is preparing to take a bold step in its tablet business: ditching Fire OS for Android. According to insiders, the company is developing a new premium device under the codename Kittyhawk, expected to launch in 2026.

If successful, this will be the first time Amazon releases a tablet running Android out of the box.

Since 2011, Amazon’s Fire tablets have run on a customized fork of Android branded as Fire OS. While the system tied users neatly into Amazon’s ecosystem of books, video, and music, it also cut them off from the broader Android experience. Developers had to adapt apps for a separate Amazon store, limiting availability, while customers complained about missing features, outdated versions, and fewer choices.

Now, with a market share of around 8% – placing it behind Lenovo, Samsung, and the dominant Apple – Amazon is rethinking its approach. Reports suggest the upcoming Android-powered tablet will aim higher, with a potential $400 price tag, nearly double the current Fire Max 11, and positioned closer to Apple’s entry-level iPad. Precise specs are still secret, but the move shows Amazon’s intent to compete in the mid-to-premium tier rather than just the budget space.

The shift won’t completely kill Fire OS. Amazon reportedly plans to maintain its low-cost models running its in-house Vega platform while letting the new Android device target users who want full access to Google Play apps and fresher updates. Industry experts believe this change is about more than specs – it reflects Amazon’s recognition that to grow in a maturing market, it must break from its walled-garden philosophy.

IDC researcher Jitesh Ubrani summarized consumer frustrations in August 2025: “People have always worried about not getting the latest Android versions or apps. For developers, supporting Fire OS meant extra work with little payoff.” Moving to Android could finally resolve these long-standing hurdles.

Amazon is still the fourth-largest tablet vendor globally, but with Apple commanding 33.1% and Samsung at 18.7%, the competition is tough. Whether Kittyhawk succeeds will depend not just on pricing, but on how well Amazon blends Android freedom with its own services – without repeating the missteps of the past.