Samsung is expanding its internal testing pool for One UI 8.5. The tech giant has begun testing the latest build on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, confirming that the 2022 flagship remains on the roadmap for the next major feature drop, promising a more refined Galaxy experience.

According to data from Samsung’s internal servers—spotted by tipster @Koram_Akhilesh—the first One UI 8.5 build for the Galaxy S22 Ultra has surfaced. The test firmware carries the suffix HYLF, indicating it is an early internal version rather than a final release candidate for the public.

Launched in early 2022 with Android 12, the Galaxy S22 series (including the Plus and Ultra models) was guaranteed four major Android OS upgrades. By October 2025, the trio received its final major OS shift: One UI 8 based on Android 16. Consequently, the lineup will not be eligible for Android 17 (One UI 9) next year.

However, One UI 8.5 is a feature-centric update built on Android 16 QPR2, not a full OS overhaul. This ensures Galaxy S22 users can still expect significant enhancements. The appearance of the Ultra model on test servers serves as concrete proof of this ongoing support.

That said, the Galaxy S22 series is unlikely to join the ongoing One UI 8.5 Beta program. Samsung typically prioritizes beta access for its latest flagships—currently the Galaxy S25 series. Instead, the S22 lineup is expected to skip the public beta phase and jump straight to the stable release.

If history is any indication, the stable One UI 8.5 update will debut alongside the Galaxy S26 series in Q1 2026. In the interim, Samsung continues to roll out the December 2025 security patch for the S22 series, keeping the devices secure while users wait for the feature drop.