Ahoy! As we slowly get closer to a new release, it is time to prepare the release notes. This is the full list of changes:
List of PRs & commits in this release
| Entity | Merge/Committed date | URL | Title | Author(s) | Type | Functionality group | Related issue(s) | Related label(s) | Needs review replies? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pr | 2025-12-27T13:15:08Z | #8180 | Add ‘restore from archive’ to (multi-)select menu | ByteHamster | 8172 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2025-12-27T18:23:10Z | #8187 | Add share to feed multi-select menu | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2025-12-27T22:08:31Z | #8176 | Restructure feed settings | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-01T12:28:32Z | #8189 | Directly enter multi-select when long-pressing subscriptions | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| commit | 2026-01-01T17:32:50Z | 92d7ad9 | Merge branch ‘master’ into develop | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-02T21:32:48Z | #8198 | Create UI Test For About Fragment | Thanush19 | 8174 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-06T09:31:01Z | #8205 | Fix stream leak | Bicente44 | 8169 | Good first issue, Type: Confirmed bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-06T09:36:29Z | #8209 | Check description position in PR check | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-07T21:45:07Z | #8211 | Add screenshot mode that hides cover images with unclear licenses | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-07T21:45:32Z | #8212 | Clear back stack when opening from launcher shortcuts | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-16T22:16:07Z | #8226 | Add support for reading ID3 TXXX comment frames | ByteHamster | 8219 | Type: Confirmed bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-16T22:25:58Z | #8227 | Clarify that new episodes action cannot be changed when autodownload is enabled | ByteHamster | 8224 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-16T23:14:18Z | #8228 | Rename ‘delete podcast’ to ‘unsubscribe’ | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-16T23:15:50Z | #8217 | Validate RSS URL before closing the AddViaUrlDialog | anotherHoffmann | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-18T17:50:56Z | #8231 | Fix issue where sleep timer is marked as active after events are fired | eblis | 8207 | Type: Confirmed bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-19T21:19:52Z | #8233 | Fix multi select actions to match single select action | Consto | 7144, 7849 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-19T21:31:53Z | #8164 | Remove separator lines in lists | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-19T21:32:47Z | #8235 | Fix mixing up media id and feed item id | ByteHamster | 8177 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-01-19T22:37:26Z | #8236 | Stop subscription selection when de-selecting last item | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-23T22:58:27Z | #8240 | Use events to handle external player state | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-25T12:36:30Z | #8242 | Migrate more fragments to event-based architecture instead of keeping the service bound | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-01-28T18:26:27Z | #8244 | Simplify playback statistics tracking | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-04T20:41:01Z | #8252 | Fix still linking to Transifex | ByteHamster | 8245 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-07T18:11:18Z | #8258 | Migrate AudioPlayerFragment away from constantly bound service | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-08T14:12:33Z | #8232 | Playback service rewrite | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-13T07:04:16Z | #8273 | Fix media session browsing | ByteHamster | 8272 | Good first issue, Type: Confirmed bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-14T21:06:08Z | #8276 | Remove Android 5 support | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-14T23:13:54Z | #8277 | Show buffering state as playing | ByteHamster | 8259 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-15T09:45:25Z | #8279 | Avoid duplicate media notification when casting | ByteHamster | 5728 | Functionality: (Chrome)Cast, Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-17T20:13:14Z | #8275 | Add back Chromecast support | ByteHamster | 8265 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-17T21:15:25Z | #8278 | Re-add widget to media3 player | ByteHamster | 8263 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-17T21:53:12Z | #8287 | Add ‘synopsis’ comment as an alternative to description to vorbis parser | ByteHamster | 8269 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-18T07:26:39Z | #8290 | Enhance self-review checklist in PR template | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-18T12:03:21Z | #8286 | Upgrade target API version | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-20T17:43:06Z | #8296 | Remove automatic redirect to correct website language | cumeowlus | 8271 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-20T18:11:46Z | #8292 | Fix completing the last episode in the queue keeps it active | tamilore-bello | 8284 | Good first issue, Type: Confirmed bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-21T13:21:51Z | #8298 | Fix drawer counters not shown until counter setting is changed | DivyaKhunt07 | 8283 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-21T15:11:06Z | #8297 | Move video playback controls to an independent component | ByteHamster | 8262 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-21T16:46:08Z | #8299 | Re-implement delete after playback | ByteHamster | 8285 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-21T20:55:50Z | #8300 | Re-implement video player toolbar | ByteHamster | 8267 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-22T18:02:03Z | #8303 | Add basic agent instructions | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-22T20:29:48Z | #8304 | Switch to new track selection method | ByteHamster | 6981 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-22T20:56:09Z | #8305 | Small ExoPlayer tweaks | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-02-25T12:30:33Z | #8308 | Re-add skip silence setting to new playback service | ByteHamster | 8266 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-26T19:17:42Z | #8309 | Fix headphone double-tap skip for media3 playback service | Sarnyxq | 8260 | Excellent Contribution, Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-26T19:24:57Z | #8313 | Move Statistics screen from Subscriptions menu to navigation drawer | amanjn38 | 8310 | Excellent Contribution, Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-02-28T08:58:43Z | #8315 | Re-implement sleep timer for Media3PlaybackService | ByteHamster Sarnyxq | 8264 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-07T15:33:05Z | #8320 | Remove hidden setting from search | ByteHamster | 8314 | Good first issue, Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-07T16:25:30Z | #8322 | Fix crash when device does not support loudness enhancer | ByteHamster | 8294 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-08T07:38:59Z | #8321 | Build media item stub on main thread and full item on background thread | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-08T16:13:03Z | #8327 | Remove fyydlin and connect directly | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-09T23:32:34Z | #8329 | Switch away from JitPack | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-09T23:32:51Z | #8330 | Improve usability of error printer | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-12T20:09:18Z | #8335 | Update readme | keunes | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-13T21:37:51Z | #8332 | Load notification covers using Glide | ByteHamster Copilot | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-13T22:26:52Z | #8331 | Add skip intro/ending support to Media3PlaybackService | ByteHamster Copilot | 8323 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-14T08:15:08Z | #8336 | Add Copilot coding agent setup file | ByteHamster Copilot | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-15T07:44:38Z | #8342 | Require at least 10 non-whitespace chars in PR description | ByteHamster Copilot | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-15T15:07:00Z | #8341 | Add deprecation warning when disabling bottom navigation | ByteHamster Copilot | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-15T15:48:56Z | #8344 | Add agent instructions about PR updates | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-15T15:50:56Z | #8340 | Add missing multi-select episode actions | ByteHamster Copilot | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-15T16:07:44Z | #8339 | Move favorites to a dedicated screen | ByteHamster Copilot | 8253 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-18T20:55:12Z | #8317 | Add mobile data streaming confirmation to Media3PlaybackService | ByteHamster amanjn38 | 8301 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-20T07:38:32Z | #8353 | Set user agent in new playback service | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-20T09:33:59Z | #8354 | [media3] Add volume adaptation (boost/reduction) to Media3PlaybackService | ByteHamster Copilot | 8324 | Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-03-22T09:28:27Z | #8356 | Add predictive back for main activity exit | ByteHamster Copilot | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-22T18:39:15Z | #8357 | Make sure to close all streams and cursors, enable spotbugs | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| commit | 2026-03-22T18:43:30Z | 5de8d4b | Merge branch ‘master’ into develop | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-28T15:51:25Z | #8369 | CONTRIBUTING.md - update unit test section | mpollmeier | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-28T16:12:33Z | #8367 | Run checkstyle in parallel | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-03-28T19:48:25Z | #8371 | Lint all modules | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-04-04T19:25:39Z | #8366 | Fix crash when opening Sleep Timer dialog due to main-thread DB access | geoffreysisco | 8360 | Type: Possible bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-04-04T20:18:27Z | #7177 | Add workflows to ping about play reviews | keunes | Area: Project issue | No | |||
| pr | 2026-04-07T19:09:35Z | #8380 | Filter out non-subscribed feeds from GPodder subscription sync | dllmr | 8361 | Excellent Contribution, Functionality: Synchronisation, Type: Confirmed bug | No | ||
| pr | 2026-04-09T21:56:52Z | #8363 | Implement auto-rewind on resume in Media3PlaybackService | ByteHamster williamlgrt | 8268 | Good first issue, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| commit | 2026-04-11T09:19:14Z | 8419a77 | Merge branch ‘master’ into develop | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-04-12T19:49:26Z | #8365 | Add Android Auto “For You” recommendations with recency filter | brianjcohen | 8326 | Excellent Contribution, Functionality: Interacting devices, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-04-12T20:20:21Z | #8389 | Implement mini rewind after interruption | ghjm | 2739 | Excellent Contribution, Type: Feature request | No | ||
| pr | 2026-04-12T20:29:05Z | #8391 | Faster media session item list loading | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-04-12T21:17:33Z | #8392 | Show feed covers more reliably in media session callback | ByteHamster | No | ||||
| pr | 2026-04-14T21:03:49Z | #8395 | Fix some lint warnings and suppress the others | ByteHamster | No |
Which I have summarised as follows (in 491 characters, line endings not included):
∙ Rewrite playback service (@ByteHamster, @Sarnyxq and others) - this fixes many playback issues, but do report any regressions!
∙ UI changes: rename “delete podcast” to “unsubscribe” (@ByteHamster); move Statistics screen to navigation (@amanjn38)
∙ Multi-select: directly enter multi-select when long-pressing subscriptions; add more actions to (multi-)select menu (@ByteHamster)
∙ Add Android Auto “For You” recommendations (@brianjcohen)
∙ Plus an assortment of bug fixes & improvements!
Ideally we would also mention dropping Android 5 support, but all of the above will certainly affect a larger share of users.
@ByteHamster, @keunes: any comments?