In a surprising move for its mid-range lineup, Samsung has officially rolled out the One UI 8.5 Beta program for the Galaxy A55. This marks a significant milestone, as it's the very first time an A5x-series device has been granted early access to this software testing phase.

Over in South Korea—where the handset is marketed as the Galaxy Quantum 5—users can already sign up for the beta. This represents a notable shift in Samsung’s strategy, signaling a clear departure from its traditional flagship-exclusive beta rollouts to embrace the broader mid-range market.

Interestingly, the Galaxy A35 also joined the One UI 8.5 Beta roster on the exact same day. Conspicuously absent, however, is the Galaxy A56. Given that the A56 was previously left out of the One UI 8 Beta, its chances of making the cut this year remain highly uncertain.

While the A55 beta is currently locked to the South Korean market, industry watchers expect Samsung to expand the program to other regions shortly, with India tipped as the most likely next destination.

Eager to try it out? Galaxy A55 owners in eligible regions can register via the Samsung Members app. Once approved, the beta can be easily downloaded by navigating to Settings > Software update > Download and install.