Samsung's Galaxy M54 has entered One UI 8.5 testing, marking the first M-series device confirmed for the Android 16-based update. The mid-range phone appeared this week running test firmware in several Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
The development expands Samsung's beta program beyond its initial Galaxy S25 exclusivity. According to SamMobile reports, test builds are live on servers for the Galaxy M54 in the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. These regions align with the M-series' typical sales markets, which exclude North America and most of Europe.
Samsung simultaneously expanded One UI 8.5 beta availability to Poland and India with its second beta release. The Beta 2 update, which weighs in at a little over 1.1GB according to Phone Arena, focuses on bug fixes rather than new features. It includes the December 2025 security patch and addresses camera, gallery, and system stability issues.
The company modified Camera Assistant settings to enable dual recording and Single Take mode. Other fixes improve Quick Panel initialization during boot, gallery folder organization, and call performance with Bluetooth car kits. The update also resolves forced app closures when running multiple third-party applications.
Internal testing extends beyond the M54 to include several Galaxy A-series phones, according to Gizmochina. Samsung maintains separate internal and public beta tracks, with the public program remaining exclusive to Galaxy S25 devices for now. The company uses phased testing to identify bugs before broader releases.
Stable One UI 8.5 will debut with the Galaxy S26 series early next year, reportedly scheduled for March. Flagship Galaxy S and Z series models will receive the update first, followed by mid-range and budget devices like the M54. This staggered rollout typically places affordable models several months behind premium counterparts.
The Galaxy M54's inclusion signals Samsung's commitment to bringing major software updates to more affordable lineups. The company will likely upload additional test builds for the M54 and other M-series models in coming weeks as it prepares for broader deployment.
One UI 8.5 represents Samsung's Android 16 implementation, expected to bring design changes and new features beyond the current beta's stability improvements. The software will eventually reach eligible Galaxy devices throughout 2025 following its flagship debut.
