Samsung has officially moved the Galaxy A56 into the testing phase for One UI 8.5. The first firmware build for this year’s top-tier A-series model has just been spotted on Samsung’s test servers in select regions, signaling the start of preparations for the company's next major update.

Galaxy A56: The First A-Series Device to Test One UI 8.5

The Galaxy A56 stands out as the first A-series device caught running a test version of One UI 8.5, which is based on Android 16 QPR2. According to leaker Alfatürk, a test build carrying firmware version A566BXXU7CYL8 has surfaced in Europe and Turkey. This specific build targets the "B" variant, and it is highly likely that other regional variants will join the testing roster soon.

With this development, the Galaxy A56 joins a high-profile list of devices currently being prepped for One UI 8.5. This includes current and future flagships like the Galaxy S25 and S24 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 (including the FE model), and even the upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A57—the A56's expected successor—is rumored to launch with One UI 8.5 right out of the box.

No Public Beta Expected

Despite the existence of internal test builds, it is almost certain that the Galaxy A56 will sit out the public beta program. Samsung is currently racing against the clock to prepare for the Galaxy S26 launch early next year, and expanding the beta program to too many devices could risk delaying that critical timeline.

Samsung recently rolled out One UI 8.5 Beta 1 for the Galaxy S25 series in South Korea, Germany, the UK, and the US. As predicted, the Galaxy S25 Edge and S25 FE were excluded from the list. Given the tight update schedule, the chances of the Galaxy A56 seeing a public beta remain virtually non-existent.