Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Galaxy Tab S10 and S9 series accessories are cross-compatible, allowing users to reuse covers and keyboards between models.
- The Galaxy Tab S10 series keyboard cover includes Galaxy AI keys, which currently do not work with Tab S9 devices.
- Samsung has confirmed that the upcoming One UI 7 update will bring Galaxy AI Key compatibility to the Tab S9 and Tab S9 FE tablets.
Other than the lack of the smallest base model, there’s not much that distinguishes the Galaxy Tab S10 series from the previous generation. Samsung has been touting the new tablet’s Galaxy AI features heavily, even though many of these features have already been rolled into the Tab S9 lineup through software updates.
However, there is one thing Samsung deserves praise for. This means that the Tab S10 series is now compatible with accessories from the Tab S9 lineup. This is a wise decision, as official Samsung accessories such as keyboard covers can be very expensive and it would be unreasonable to expect customers to replace them every year.
This cross-compatibility initially came with a small caveat related to the addition of the Galaxy AI key to the Tab S10 keyboard cover. The Galaxy AI key is designed to launch a user’s preferred virtual assistant, but it currently doesn’t work when the Tab S10 keyboard cover is paired with a Tab S9 tablet.
However, this may not be a permanent problem. According to Samsung’s recent promotional video spotted by sammobilethere’s hope on the horizon for Galaxy Tab S9 owners. In the video, Samsung highlights the Galaxy AI button on the Tab S10’s keyboard cover, saying in the fine print:
“Galaxy Tab S9 and Tab S9 FE series devices require One UI 7.0 or later to support Galaxy AI Key functionality. One UI update may be required.”
This effectively confirms that the Galaxy AI Key will be available once Tab S9 owners receive the One UI 7 update. Note that there is no base model of the Galaxy Tab S10 this year, so Tab S9 users won’t be able to try out the Galaxy AI Keys unless they upgrade to the Tab S10 Plus or Ultra models.
When exactly can Tab S9 users expect the One UI 7 update? It’s still up in the air. Samsung has postponed the usual release schedule for One UI 7, with the beta version not expected until next year. The Tab S9 series may receive updates much later than Samsung’s latest flagship phones and tablets.
Nevertheless, with Samsung’s older tablets gaining compatibility with Galaxy AI keys, the Galaxy Tab S10 series may have become even more difficult to sell. With discounts currently on the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus ($999 at Amazon) and Tab S9 Ultra ($1,119 at Samsung), Samsung is giving users a compelling reason to choose last year’s model over the latest release. It might just be.
