Mere weeks after Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab S9 FE tablets as budget versions of the Tab S9 flagships, the company expanded its tablet lineup even further with two more models that are on the cheaper end of the spectrum. And like some of Samsung's other budget-oriented Galaxy A products, these new tablets — called the Galaxy Tab A9 and Tab A9+ — might be ODM devices.
A recent launch story published by Japan's Blog of Mobile claims that the Galaxy Tab A9+ is the second ODM product in the Galaxy Tab series to hit the shelves in Japan. The local news outlet doesn't go into further detail on the matter, and there's no concrete information we could find about who might be manufacturing the Tab A9 series for Samsung.
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Galaxy Tab A9 is still a Samsung tablet
An ODM device means the design, development, and/or supply are handled by a different company using the Samsung brand under contract to manufacture and release a device — in this case, a budget Galaxy tablet.
Evidently, an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) can't go rogue and do everything on their own. ODMs still have to adhere to the rules and guidelines specified in the contract. An ODM can't slap the Samsung Galaxy brand on just about any device. It still has to be a Galaxy device at its core.
Nevertheless, the Galaxy Tab S9 being an ODM device means that Samsung has been relatively hands-off with it and hasn't been as involved in the tablet's development, design, part supply chain, and manufacturing as it would've been if this was an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) tablet. A different company — an ODM — handled those burdens in exchange for a bigger cut.
In essence, if the Galaxy Tab A9 is really an ODM device, it costs Samsung less to get it to the market. It's still a Galaxy product, but one that Samsung had less to do with throughout its development and manufacturing stages.
