Next Monday will see the release of the Android 12 update on Google's Pixel phones, and that marks the official start of the waiting period for the update to roll out to other smartphones. Google's major OEM partners already have access to the new OS's source code, though, which is why you can install an Android 12 beta release on several non-Pixel phones, including the ZenFone 8 from ASUS. The Taiwanese smartphone maker released its first beta for the new OS at Google I/O 2021, and they followed up with a second beta release in the middle of last month. Those beta releases were built straight from open-source Android and didn't include any of the software features that ASUS brings to the table, but the next beta will.

In a post over on the ZenTalk Forums, ASUS is inviting users to participate in the beta testing program for the ZenFone 8's Android 12 update. The beta release brings ZenUI 8 on top of Google's Android 12 codebase, an ASUS spokesperson confirmed. Since the source code for Material You's dynamic theming system isn't included in Android 12, the beta Android 12 update for the ZenFone 8 won't include the feature. However, it will include many of the other new features introduced in Android 12, which you can read about here.

ASUS is recruiting testers starting today and until October 13th. The company says that participation in the program is confidential, meaning you are not supposed to publicly share information about the beta software on public forums. The beta program is intended to help the company find and fix bugs before the stable software update rolls out to the public, likely later this year.

To enroll in the beta Android 12 update for the ZenFone 8, go to Settings > System > System update, click the gear icon at the top-right corner, and select "enroll in the beta test program."