One of the best things Samsung made possible with the launch of the Galaxy Tab S10 series is cross-compatibility between Tab S9 and Tab S10 accessories. Thanks to this change, Galaxy Tab S10 buyers can reuse Galaxy Tab S9 cases and keyboards without running into compatibility issues.
Likewise, Galaxy Tab S9 users can buy and use Tab S10 accessories. But there is one exception to this. Samsung released new Cover Keyboards for the Galaxy Tab S10+ and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and while they are 99% compatible with the Galaxy Tab S9 series, the new Galaxy AI button is unsupported.
The Galaxy AI key summons the user's virtual assistant of choice, but this functionality is non-existent if the Cover Keyboard is paired with the older Galaxy Tab S9 tablets.
We assumed Samsung could fix this compatibility issue through a future firmware update for the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Now, we have confirmation that Samsung will do precisely that..
One UI 7.0 will bring Galaxy AI button compatibility to Tab S9
Samsung recently released a promotional video for the Galaxy Tab S10 series Cover Keyboard accessories. At one point, the video showcases the Galaxy AI button, while the fine print at the bottom of the screen states the following:
“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.”
In essence, this video confirms that the Galaxy AI key will become usable by Galaxy Tab S9 owners once the One UI 7.0 update goes live.
However, it may take a while before that happens. One UI 7.0 is perhaps the biggest Samsung firmware update in recent years, and Samsung will keep it in the oven a little longer.
At SDC24, the company said the public One UI 7 update will go live next year instead of this year. We're guessing the Galaxy Tab S9 series won't be among the first devices to receive One UI 7.0.
Thanks for the tip, Federico!
