v1.6 Release

What's New

• 🚀Added microphone support by @jigneshbhavani in #44
• Updated in-app icons to enhance visual appeal and consistency.
• Integrated new management features allowing users to delete cookies and revoke microphone access permissions.

Security and Privacy

• Enhanced microphone access security protocols to ensure higher privacy standards.
• Improved data management by providing manual controls for clearing browser cookies and site permissions.

New Contributors

• @jigneshbhavani made their first contribution in #44

Full Changelog: v1.5...v1.6

🚨 Urgent: The Future of Android and Digital Freedom

I want to share something critically important regarding the future of this app and the entire Android ecosystem. Please visit: https://keepandroidopen.org/

The Situation

Google has recently stated that starting September 2026, all developers will be required to pay a fee and submit government ID. Failure to comply will result in apps being blocked.

Why This Matters

I believe this marks the collapse of democracy in the software and digital space. It creates a dangerous precedent where a single entity holds absolute power over what you can or cannot run on your device. It is, quite literally, the birth of a digital dictatorship.

As a young developer, I am deeply concerned about this systemic shift. While iPhones are popular in Japan, Android is the dominant platform globally. This policy doesn't just affect me—it threatens the survival of countless independent developers and the freedom of every user.

How You Can Help

I sincerely ask for your support in spreading the word.

1. Share this issue on X (Twitter), Mastodon, and other social media.
2. Tell your friends about what’s happening to the Android ecosystem.
3. Stand with developers to keep our digital space open and free.

Your voice is vital to ensuring that apps like this one—and many others—can continue to exist. Thank you for your support.

#KeepAndroidOpen #DigitalFreedom #OpenSource

v1.5 Release

🚨 Urgent: The Future of Android and Digital Freedom

I want to share something critically important regarding the future of this app and the entire Android ecosystem. Please visit: https://keepandroidopen.org/

The Situation

Google has recently stated that starting September 2026, all developers will be required to pay a fee and submit government ID. Failure to comply will result in apps being blocked.

Why This Matters

I believe this marks the collapse of democracy in the software and digital space. It creates a dangerous precedent where a single entity holds absolute power over what you can or cannot run on your device. It is, quite literally, the birth of a digital dictatorship.

As a young developer, I am deeply concerned about this systemic shift. While iPhones are popular in Japan, Android is the dominant platform globally. This policy doesn't just affect me—it threatens the survival of countless independent developers and the freedom of every user.

How You Can Help

I sincerely ask for your support in spreading the word.

1. Share this issue on X (Twitter), Mastodon, and other social media.
2. Tell your friends about what’s happening to the Android ecosystem.
3. Stand with developers to keep our digital space open and free.

Your voice is vital to ensuring that apps like this one—and many others—can continue to exist. Thank you for your support.

#KeepAndroidOpen #DigitalFreedom #OpenSource

What’s New

• Support for "Keep Android Open" : I have officially joined the movement to support keepandroidopen.org in its mission to preserve the open Android ecosystem.

• Seamless Bookmarking : You can now easily add bookmarks to AABrowser directly from other apps using the Share menu.

• Enhanced Security : Improved safety warnings when loading content over insecure HTTP connections.

• Under-the-Hood Improvements : Updated several core libraries to ensure better stability, performance, and compatibility.

v1.3 Release

Hi everyone! The wait is over—this is the 3rd release!

A huge thank you to everyone who starred the repo, reacted to the releases, and is using the app. Honestly, seeing your reactions makes me so happy and keeps me motivated to keep coding!

What’s New:

• Major UI Overhaul: A massive shoutout to @cmacrowther! Thanks to his amazing work, the app looks way more modern now and even supports vertical head units.
• QR Code Sharing: You can now display a QR code to easily share URLs (another great feature added by him!).
• Settings Page: Finally added a settings menu where you can now select your User Agent.
• Bug Fixes: Fixed some issues where certain websites wouldn't open properly.
• Under the Hood: Updated libraries to keep everything running smoothly.

A quick note on privacy:
To help me track the app's growth (which is really important for my career and job hunting as a student!), I’ve added a simple usage counter. It just counts "App Opened" and the version number using a random ID. It does not track your URLs, IP address, or Device ID. Since this is an open-source project, you can check the code yourself to see exactly how it works!

My goal is to keep this app transparent and safe for everyone.

v1.2 Release

Hi everyone! This is the second release of the app. Honestly, I’m so surprised and happy to see more people using it than I expected!

What’s New:

• Material Design Sync: The UI now syncs with your phone's Material Design theme.
• Security Update: Added warnings and proper handling for HTTP sites.
• New Icon: Finally added a dedicated app icon!
• Performance: Boosted performance for a smoother experience.
• Dark Mode: Now fully supports Dark Mode.
• Update Checker: Added a feature to check for app updates. You don't need an app store—this project is free. Simply download the APK directly from your browser and install it manually. No other apps are necessary.
• Error Screens: Improved and more helpful error screens.

beta1.1

Heads-up: ad blocking isn’t wired up yet. Heads-up: playback still locks out while the vehicle is moving. Heads-up: those bugs weren’t planned, so if you’ve got a fix, feel free to jump in. Quick note: everything does run on the actual head unit. Pull requests are super welcome!