Galaxy Tab S10 accessories are cross-compatible with the Tab S9 (with one caveat)

Samsung has ensured that the latest Galaxy Tab S10 accessories are cross-compatible with the previous generation. Accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 will also work on the new tablets. There’s however, one minor but glaring limitation.

Galaxy Tab S10 and Tab S9 accessories are cross-compatible

Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Tab S10 series on Thursday. Just as predicted in the leaks, Samsung is offering just two variants of the tablet this year: the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra.

What’s surprising, other than the pricing of the tablets, is the fact that their accessories can reportedly work with the previous generation of the Galaxy Tab, and vice versa. In other words, Galaxy Tab S9 users can slap their accessories onto the new Tab S10. So, those who upgraded to the latest Galaxy Tab S10 can continue using the Tab S9 accessories.

This is an important decision consideration from two perspectives. First, the Galaxy Tab S9 accessories needn’t be discarded. This is a win for reducing e-waste.

Secondly, Samsung may follow this design philosophy for future generations of its premium tablets, and perhaps smartphones as well. This wasn’t the case with the previous generation of Samsung Galaxy tablet models. Specifically speaking, accessories made for the Galaxy Tab S8, such as Book Covers and Book Keyboard Covers, are incompatible with the Galaxy Tab S9 series.

What’s concerning is that Samsung could have ensured cross-compatibility between the Tab S8 and the Tab S9 accessories. However, the company altered the location of the camera as well as the S Pen on the newer tablet models, eliminating the possibility of reusing accessories.

Should Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 users reuse their Tab S9 accessories?

The Galaxy Tab S9 launched just last year, so its accessories might not have experienced severe wear. It makes perfect sense to continue using them. It is, however, important to note that there’s no base Galaxy Tab S10 model.

Galaxy Tab S9 accessories are too small to fit the larger Galaxy Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra. So, if you’re moving to a Galaxy Tab S10 model from the base Galaxy Tab S9, then you’re going to have to buy new accessories.

What’s the caveat?

There’s one more minor, but quite noticeable, limitation. The older Galaxy Tab S9 Keyboard Cover has a “Lang” key. Samsung replaced this key with a new “Galaxy AI” button on the 2024 Keyboard Covers. Pressing this key brings up Google Gemini or Samsung Bixby.

What this means is that swapping the Keyboard Cover will render this key useless. Samsung might release an update that could switch the function of the key depending on the model of the tablet the Keyboard Cover is attached to. But for now, the Galaxy AI button won’t work on the older Galaxy Tab S9 models.