Amazon Plans Android-Powered Fire Tablet in Major Software Shift

Amazon (AMZN, Financials) is preparing to overhaul its Fire tablet lineup by ditching its custom Fire OS in favor of Android, sources told Reuters. The company plans to launch a higher-end tablet next year as part of a project codenamed Kittyhawk.

Since debuting the Fire tablet in 2011, Amazon has relied on a forked version of Android that required developers to build separate apps for its own store, limiting app availability. Analysts say the shift to Android could make Fire tablets more attractive to consumers who want full compatibility with mainstream Android apps and devices.

The planned tablet could carry a $400 price tag, nearly double the Fire Max 11's $230 cost, signaling Amazon's push into a higher-performing category. Apple (AAPL, Financials) dominates tablets with a 33% market share, followed by Samsung at 19%. Amazon holds about 8%, according to IDC data.

While Amazon declined to comment, insiders said the multiyear effort reflects a philosophical change for the Seattle-based company, which has historically avoided third-party software. The strategy echoes its more recent partnerships with AI providers like Anthropic, whose Claude model powers parts of Alexa.

Lower-priced Fire tablets will continue to run on Amazon's Linux-based Vega operating system, now used in some Fire TV devices. Over time, the company expects to move its full lineup to Android.