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Today, Amazon announced the new Fire HD 8 with always-ready, hands-free access to Alexa. With hands-free mode, Alexa is always ready to respond – Alexa can start a video call with family, play music, launch games, read Audible books, and more. The Fire HD 8 also includes an HD 720p front-facing camera and up to 10 hours of mixed use battery life.
And, with a quick and free Fire OS software update, the all-new Fire HD 8 allows you to use Show Mode, a new, immersive, hands-free Alexa experience that provides visual and audio responses to voice commands.
For developers, this new Fire tablet adds yet another way to reach potential customers. When you publish on the Amazon Appstore and target Fire tablets, your apps and games will be available on the new Fire HD 8.
It is available today for pre-order for just $79.99 at www.amazon.com/firehd8.
Hands-free voice experience with Alexa
With more customers interacting with voice technology, the Fire HD 8 offers a convenient way for developers to engage with their users.
With always-ready, hands-free access to Alexa, there's no need to press a button. You can simply ask Alexa to get instant access to movies, shop, see the weather, call your friends and family, and more, even when your screen is on standby.
Show Mode amplifies the voice experience, enhancing Alexa voice responses with full screen visuals. It is also compatible with the all-new Show Mode Charging Dock, which automatically switches your tablet to Show Mode. Enjoy movies, TV shows, books, apps, and games while your tablet is docked—or pick it up to take your entertainment on the go.
Developers can use the Alexa Skills Kit to add capabilities, or skills, to Alexa. Skills enable customers to play music, get the latest news, sports scores, and more. Visit our developer portal to start building skills for Alexa.
Get your app ready
If you currently have apps and games on Fire tablets, be sure to upgrade them to Fire OS 6 so that they are compatible with the new device. Notable changes from Fire OS 5 to Fire OS 6 include checking permissions at runtime and linking to private libraries. To learn more about upgrading to Fire OS 6, click here.
If you've never released an app or game for Fire tablets, head over to Get Started with Apps for Fire Tablets. Since Fire OS is based on Android, it's easy to bring your Android APK to Amazon devices. Simply drag and drop your APK into the App Testing Service (ATS) and receive testing results in 90 seconds or less.
For more information on the new Fire tablet, check out the additional resources:
