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 a Galaxy AI key that currently doesn’t 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.
Aside from the absence of the smallest base model, there isn’t a whole lot that distinguishes the Galaxy Tab S10 series from the previous generation. Samsung has been heavily promoting the Galaxy AI capabilities of its new tablets despite the fact that many of these features have already made their way to the Tab S9 lineup via software updates.
However, Samsung deserves credit for one thing: it made the Tab S10 series cross-compatible with accessories from the Tab S9 lineup. This is a sensible decision, as Samsung’s official accessories, like its keyboard covers, can be quite expensive, and it would be unreasonable to expect customers to replace them every year.
This cross-compatibility initially had a minor caveat related to the addition of a Galaxy AI key on the Tab S10 keyboard covers. The Galaxy AI key, designed to launch the user’s preferred virtual assistant, is currently not functional when the Tab S10 keyboard cover is paired with a Tab S9 tablet.
But this might not be a permanent issue. According to a recent promotional video from Samsung spotted by Sammobile, there’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, and in the fine print, it states:
“On Galaxy Tab S9 and Tab S9 FE series devices, One UI 7.0 or above is required to support the Galaxy AI Key function. It may require One UI update.”
This effectively confirms that the Galaxy AI key will become available to Tab S9 owners once they receive the One UI 7 update. It’s worth noting that there’s no base Galaxy Tab S10 model this year, so Tab S9 users won’t be able to try the Galaxy AI key without upgrading to the Tab S10 Plus or Ultra models.
When exactly can Tab S9 users expect the One UI 7 update? That’s still up in the air. Samsung has delayed its usual release schedule for One UI 7, with the beta not rolling out until next year. The Tab S9 series will likely get the update much later after Samsung’s latest flagship phones and tablets.
Nevertheless, Samsung’s older tablets getting Galaxy AI key compatibility might have made the Galaxy Tab S10 series an even tougher sell. With current discounts on the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus ($999 at Amazon) and Tab S9 Ultra ($1119 at Samsung), Samsung may have just handed users a compelling reason to pick last year’s models over the latest releases.
