Samsung’s latest flagship tablets, the Galaxy Tab S10 series, come with an unexpected AI-focused upgrade. The company has redesigned the Book Cover Keyboard accessories to include a dedicated AI button, catering to the growing demand for easy access to Generative AI.
New Keyboard Design and AI Button Functionality
Both the Galaxy Tab S10+ and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra are compatible with two optional keyboard accessories:
- Book Cover Keyboard (includes a touchpad)
- Book Cover Keyboard Slim (without touchpad)
All variants of these keyboard covers now feature a new Galaxy AI button, which replaces the ‘lang’ (language) key found on older models. However, the functionality of this new button is somewhat limited:
- When pressed, it summons either Google Gemini or Samsung Bixby
- Users can choose between these AI assistants in the Settings app
- There doesn’t appear to be an option to assign the AI key to other specific Galaxy AI tools
Compatibility with Older Accessories
In a positive development for existing Galaxy Tab users, we can confirm that at least the Galaxy Tab S9 Book Cover Keyboard is compatible with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. In fact, most accessories are cross-compatible between these generations.
This compatibility is particularly noteworthy because:
- The older Galaxy Tab S8 keyboard accessories were incompatible with the Galaxy Tab S9 due to mismatched camera cutouts and S Pen location
- This incompatibility had forced Tab S9 users to purchase new accessories, leading to additional costs
Limitations of Older Keyboards on New Tablets
While the backward compatibility is welcome, there is one catch when using older keyboard accessories with the new Galaxy Tab S10 series:
- The Galaxy AI button functionality is not available on older keyboard accessories
- Pressing the language ‘lang’ key on older keyboards will not summon Google Gemini or Samsung Bixby
- Users will need to access these AI features through other means on the tablet
The introduction of the AI button on the Galaxy Tab S10 series keyboard covers represents Samsung’s commitment to integrating AI capabilities more deeply into their devices. While the functionality is currently limited, it opens up possibilities for future enhancements. The backward compatibility of accessories is a welcome feature, even if it comes with some limitations regarding the new AI functionality.
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