If you look around the streets of Nairobi, Kisumu, or anywhere else in Kenya, chances are the Samsung phone you’ll spot in someone’s hand belongs to the Galaxy A series. It’s undeniably the sweet spot for many Kenyans who want that reliable Samsung ecosystem experience without breaking the bank for the S-series or Z-series foldables.
Now, Samsung is giving A-series owners even more reasons to smile. Between major software update shifts and record-breaking global sales figures, it is clear that the Galaxy A series is commanding respect from the tech giant.
Galaxy A36 5G makes history with One UI 8.5 beta
Historically, Samsung reserves its exclusive One UI beta programs for its premium flagship devices. However, in a major shift, Samsung has officially announced the expansion of the One UI 8.5 beta program, and for the very first time, a Galaxy A series device has been invited to the party: the Galaxy A36 5G.
According to Samsung’s official release, the One UI 8.5 beta is expanding to devices like the Galaxy S23 series and older foldables, but the inclusion of the A36 5G is the real headline here. While the A36’s beta participation is currently kicking off in India as part of a phased rollout, the precedent it sets is massive. It signals that Samsung is finally treating its most popular mid-range tier with the software urgency previously reserved for top-tier buyers.
One UI 8.5 is shaping up to be a game-changer, bringing features like native support for AirDrop through Quick Share for seamless cross-platform file sharing. Samsung’s One UI 8.5 will also nudge you to “say hello to your family” if you haven’t made contact in a while. The fact that the A-series is getting a taste of this early beta action is a huge win for everyday consumers.
To know whether your device will get it, we’ve compiled a list of Samsung Galaxy phones that will likely receive the One UI 8.5 update when the stable OTA begins rolling out later this month.
Galaxy A56 is the undisputed king of Android
If you needed concrete proof of just how popular these phones are globally, Counterpoint Research has the receipts. According to their newly released Global Smartphone Sales report for Q4 2025, the Samsung Galaxy A56 officially took the crown as the best-selling Android smartphone in the world.
While Apple dominated the absolute top spots with the new iPhone 17 series, Samsung’s A-series carried the torch for the Android world. The Galaxy A56 was closely followed on the charts by the Galaxy A36 and the budget-friendly Galaxy A07. Counterpoint notes that “wider presence and better affordability and value continue to drive sales for the Galaxy A series.”
To put things into perspective, the Galaxy A series outperformed Samsung’s own flagships in pure sales volume, with the premium Galaxy S25 barely squeezing into the top 10 list at the tenth spot.
For the Kenyan smartphone market, this is all fantastic news. The Galaxy A-series is the bread and butter of the local tech scene. Seeing the A56 top global charts guarantees that Samsung will continue to invest heavily in the hardware of these mid-range champions. However, the price of the Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A57 is scary to say the least, and this could be a major problem for a series that has thrived on providing the best balance between premium quality and affordability.
More importantly, the Galaxy A36 breaking the beta barrier proves that buying a mid-range phone no longer means being treated like an afterthought when it comes to major software updates and experimental AI features. If you are currently rocking a recent Galaxy A series device, you are holding the most important lineup in Samsung’s current portfolio.
