Author: Michael G

TWIF generated on Thursday, 15 Feb 2024, Week 7

Community News

@theimpulson starts the tests:

Aurora Store was updated to 4.4.1 and brings a plethora of improvements. It will be marked as suggested after a while to squash reported bugs in between. Among all the changes major ones are:

• Support for automatically updating apps (needs a supported installer/android version to auto-install the update)
• Automatic SHA256 & SHA1 verification for downloaded files
• Support for updates with signing key rotation (introduced after Android 9.0+)
• Better support for apps with shared libraries such as Chrome/Chromium and WebView
• New automatic certificate verification for updates (resolves this issue) (future update of Aurora Store will allow turning this off for interested users)
• Native Installer and Aurora Services have been deprecated (will be removed completely soon, users are advised to use Session Installer or any other supported one)
• Exporting installed apps doesn’t require storage permissions anymore

@Licaon_Kter rants about XMPP clients:

Conversations is available in F-Droid, and has been uninterruptedly since May 2014. For instance it was just updated to version 2.13.1+free bringing support for P2P file transfers via WebRTC data channels (yes, the same magic used for calls, not the old proxy65 stuff), fixed interoperability issues with Bind 2.0 on ejabberd and bundled Let’s Encrypt root certificates for Android <= 7. Then again, for a day or so, those who wanted to get or update Conversations from “alternative centralized stores”, say via the new Aurora Store mentioned above or directly from Google Play, were not able to do so, as the app was gone, forcing the app developer to remove yet another feature from the app (the second or third one by now, we lost count) as to appease the faceless procedures.

In TWIF23 Week 50 we presented the results of the ‘Epic v. Google’ trial in the US, and we hope that with each Google move you get a hint to nudge your favourite FOSS developers to have their apps included in a decentralized store-like catalogue too, one that is not under an alphabet named corporation’s control. We understand that many devs like to publish on Play and get a stream of revenue that allows the app development to continue, while F-Droid (client, website) do not have a way to sell apps, they do have donation links, so you can contribute with a thank you, money for a coffee or one month of SMS to help your star app author.

In lock-step, Quicksy was updated to 2.13.1+free too, luckily this app was not removed from Google Play, although it did miss all updates since October 2023.

(NOTE: P2P file transfers via WebRTC data channels work only between apps updated to version 2.13.1. Next version is in the pipeline and will fix compatibility between multiple versions)

Spring Cleaning

Drupal Editor was archived as it was compatible with old unsupported Drupal 5 only.

Rocket.Chat’s removal was announced last week.

Newly Added Apps

7 apps were newly added

• Broker 1961 – Very attractive board game which was created in 1961 for trading shares
• Chooser – Finger picker app (so you know who’s first)
• DailyLog – A quick-logging notes app with customizable shortcut buttons
• Oblique Strategies – Over one hundred worthwhile dilemmas
• Oshi Uploader – Upload to any Oshi instance
• Play Deals – Find the latest app deals and discounts on paid apps and games in Google Play store
• WG Auto Connect – Auto connect to a WireGuard tunnel (the official Wireguard app is needed)

Updated Apps

174 more apps were updated

• AF Weather Widget was updated from 2.4 to 2.5
• AVNC was updated from 2.2.3 to 2.3.0
• Acode editor – Android code editor was updated from 1.8.8 to 1.9.0
• Activity Manager was updated from 5.4.7 to 5.4.8
• AgoraDesk: buy BTC anonymously was updated from 1.1.17 to 1.1.18
• Amarok was updated from 0.8.5b3 to 0.8.6b1
• Amethyst was updated from 0.83.9 to 0.83.12
• Arcticons was updated from 8.6.7 to 8.7.1-hotfix
• Arcticons Black was updated from 8.6.7 to 8.7.1-hotfix
• Arcticons Day & Night was updated from 8.3.1 to 8.7.1-hotfix
• Arcticons Material You was updated from 8.3.1 to 8.7.1-hotfix
• AutoDND was updated from 3.0 to 3.1
• Average data usage widget was updated from 3.0 to 4.0
• Aves Libre was updated from 1.10.3 to 1.10.4
• BLE Radar was updated from 0.22.6-beta to 0.22.7-beta
• Barcode Scanner was updated from 1.20.0 to 1.21.0
• BendyStraw was updated from 1.0.0 to 1.1.0
• BetterCounter was updated from 4.0.1 to 4.1.0
• Blood pressure monitor was updated from 1.6.1 to 1.6.2
• Bluemoon was updated from 1.0.3-alpha to 1.0.4
• Boxcars was updated from 1.2.9 to 1.3.0
• BusTO was updated from 2.1.4 to 2.1.5
• CPU Info was updated from 5.2.0 to 5.3.1
• CTU Menza was updated from 1.3.4 to 1.3.5
• Cache Cleaner was updated from 1.10.5 to 1.10.9
• CameraFileCopy was updated from 0.5.14 to 0.5.15
• Canta was updated from 1.2.1 to 1.3.0
• Chip Defense was updated from 1.27 to 1.28
• Cigaló was updated from 0.1.1 to 0.1.2
• Clock Screensaver was updated from 1.11.0 to 1.12.1
• ColorBlendr was updated from v1.0b8 to v1.2
• Copy SMS Code – OTP Helper was updated from 1.13.0 to 1.13.1
• CrossWords was updated from 4.4.199 to 4.4.201
• Cuscon was updated from 4.0.0.7 to 4.0.1.0
• Daily Dozen was updated from 23.1 to 24
• EasySync was updated from 1.5 to 1.7
• Eat Poop You Cat was updated from 1.0.7 to 1.1.2
• EinkBro was updated from 11.3.1 to 11.4.0
• Emacs was updated from 30.0.50 to 30.0.50
• Emerald Dialer was updated from 1.0.15 to 1.0.16
• Everest was updated from 1.1.5 to 1.1.6
• Exodus was updated from 3.2.1 to 3.2.2
• F-Droid Build Status was updated from 5.0.7 to 5.1.0
• FREE Browser was updated from 2.5 to 2.6
• FairEmail was updated from 1.2154 to 1.2158
• Fast Draw was updated from 2.1 to 2.1.1
• FastLyrics was updated from 0.5.2 to 0.5.3
• Feeder was updated from 2.6.15 to 2.6.16
• Fennec F-Droid was updated from 122.0.0 to 122.1.0
• FlashDim – Dim your flashlight was updated from 2.3.0 to 2.3.1
• FluffyChat was updated from 1.17.2 to 1.17.3
• Forkyz was updated from 49 to 50
• Fossify SMS Messenger was updated from 1.0.0 to 1.0.1
• FreeOTP+ was updated from 3.1 to 3.1.1
• Gallery was updated from 2.0.0 to 2.1.0
• Gauguin was updated from 0.19.1 to 0.20.0
• Green Pass PDF Wallet was updated from 3.4.0 to 3.4.4
• GreenStash was updated from 2.9.0 to 3.0.0
• Iconeration was updated from 1.3.1 to 1.3.2
• Image Toolbox was updated from 2.5.1 to 2.6.1-alpha01
• Infomaniak Mail was updated from 1.2.0 to 1.2.1
• Infomaniak kDrive was updated from 4.4.3 to 4.4.4
• Insular was updated from 6.0.5-1733c7cc to 6.3-e46a1948
• Interval Timer was updated from 1.0.7 to 1.0.8
• Intra was updated from 1.3.7 to 1.3.9
• Inure App Manager (Trial) was updated from Build99.0.3 to Build99.1.0
• Invoice Ninja was updated from 5.0.152 to 5.0.154
• Jami was updated from 20240131-01 to 20240206-01
• Jerboa for Lemmy was updated from 0.0.55 to 0.0.57
• Joplin was updated from 2.13.10 to 2.14.6
• Keep Alive was updated from 1.1.2 to 1.1.3
• Keyoxide was updated from 2.0.0 to 2.0.2
• Kotatsu was updated from 6.6.8 to 6.7
• KurobaEx was updated from v1.3.31 to v1.3.33
• Lexica was updated from 3.12.0 to 3.13.0
• Library App VideLibri was updated from 2.765 to 2.782
• Linphone – open source SIP client was updated from 5.2.2 to 5.2.3
• Linwood Butterfly was updated from 2.0.2 to 2.0.3-rc.0
• LocalMonero: buy XMR privately was updated from 1.1.17 to 1.1.18
• MIFARE Classic Tool was updated from 4.2.1 to 4.2.2
• Massive was updated from 2.9 to 2.18
• Mill was updated from 4.0.4 to 4.0.5
• Mirror was updated from 1.1.0 to 1.1.1
• MoeMemos was updated from 0.7.2 to 0.7.3
• Money Manager Ex was updated from 2024.02.02 to 2024.02.08
• Mull was updated from 122.0.0 to 122.1.0
• Mumla was updated from 3.6.6 to 3.6.7
• Musify was updated from 7.4.0 to 7.5.0
• My Expenses was updated from 3.7.2.1 to 3.7.3.2
• Myne: Ebook Downloader was updated from 2.8.0 to 2.9.0
• NOVA Video Player was updated from 6.2.54 to 6.2.57
• NanoLedger was updated from 0.1.5 to 0.1.6
• NextDNS Manager was updated from 4.9.1 to 4.9.2
• Nextcloud Passwords was updated from 1.0.7 to 1.0.8
• Obtainium was updated from 1.0.1 to 1.0.2
• Oinkoin was updated from 1.0.46 to 1.0.48
• Open Stable Diffusion was updated from 1.8 to 1.9
• OpenAthena™ for Android was updated from 0.19.6 to 0.19.8
• OpenKeychain: Easy PGP was updated from 5.8.2 to 6.0.0
• OpenTracks was updated from v4.11.0 to v4.11.1
• OpenVK Legacy was updated from 1.2.234-f to 1.2.236-f
• Openlib was updated from 1.0.4 to 1.0.5
• Openreads was updated from 2.3.0 to 2.4.1
• Opus 1 Music Player was updated from 2.63 to 2.63.1
• Osram Remote was updated from 1.2.4 to 1.2.5
• Peristyle was updated from 1.28_beta to 1.30_beta
• Pie Launcher was updated from 1.17.5 to 1.18.3
• PipePipe was updated from 3.2.0 to 3.2.1
• PixelDroid was updated from 1.0.beta27 to 1.0.beta29
• PlainApp: File & Web Access was updated from 1.2.35 to 1.2.37
• Pocket Broomball was updated from 5.1.1 to 5.1.2
• QuickWeather was updated from 2.6.2 to 2.6.3
• Railway station photos was updated from 15.1.0 to 15.2.0
• Read You was updated from 0.9.11 to 0.9.12
• RetroArch was updated from 1.16.0 to 1.17.0
• RiMusic was updated from 0.6.19 to 0.6.21
• Saber was updated from 0.19.2 to 0.19.3
• Sayboard was updated from v4.1.1 to v4.1.2
• SelfPrivacy was updated from 0.10.0 to 0.10.1
• Shattered Pixel Dungeon was updated from 2.3.1 to 2.3.2
• Shitter was updated from 3.5.3 to 3.5.4
• SiYuan was updated from 2.12.6 to 2.12.7
• SilverDict was updated from 1.3.0 to 1.4.1
• Simple Time Tracker was updated from 1.35 to 1.36

• **[SimpleLogin

  Anti-spam](https://f-droid.org/packages/io.simplelogin.android.fdroid)** was updated from 1.20.1 to 1.21.1

• SimpleX Chat was updated from 5.5.1 to 5.5.2
• Squawker was updated from 3.6.5 to 3.7.1
• Standard Notes was updated from 3.188.1 to 3.189.4
• Suntimes was updated from 0.15.10 to 0.15.11
• Super Retro Mega Wars was updated from 0.32.1 to 0.32.3
• Swatch .beat clock was updated from v1.2.1 to v1.2.1-fdroid-metadata
• Syncthing was updated from 1.27.2.1 to 1.27.3
• Syncthing-Fork was updated from 1.27.2.1 to 1.27.3.0
• Table Habit was updated from 1.10.4 to 1.10.5
• Tabletop Tools was updated from 1.27 to 1.28
• Tailscale was updated from 1.57.72-tca48db0d6-gdcca09fe7f8 to 1.58.2-tb0e1bbb62-gcd1f0649958
• Tarock Palčka was updated from 1.0.1 to 1.0.3
• Timed Shutdown [No Root] was updated from v2.3 to v2.4
• Tiny Weather Forecast Germany was updated from 0.61.4 to 0.62.0
• TorrServe was updated from MatriX.129.2.F-Droid to MatriX.129.3.F-Droid
• Trekarta – offline outdoor map was updated from 2024.01 to 2024.02
• Tuner was updated from 6.6.1 to 6.6.2
• Tuta Mail was updated from 3.121.4 to 3.122.4
• Tux Paint was updated from 0.9.32 to 0.9.32-1
• Unciv was updated from 4.10.6 to 4.10.8
• Unexpected Keyboard was updated from 1.25.0 to 1.26.0
• V2EX was updated from 2.8.9 to 2.9.4
• Valv was updated from 1.5.2 to 1.6.1
• Varengold activeTAN was updated from 2023-09-25 to 2024-02-05
• Vinyl Music Player was updated from 1.7.0 to 1.8.0
• Voyager for Lemmy was updated from 1.38.0 to 1.39.0
• Wattz was updated from 1.14 to 1.17
• Weechat-Android was updated from 1.8.1 to 1.9
• WiFi Widget was updated from 1.4.04 to 1.4.05
• Wulkanowy was updated from 2.3.5 to 2.4.0
• Xray was updated from 4.2.1 to 5.3.1
• Xtra was updated from 2.28.0 to 2.29.0
• YAACC was updated from 4.0.3 to 4.1.0
• Your local weather was updated from 5.8.23 to 5.8.24
• Zapp was updated from 8.4.0 to 8.5.0
• aTalk was updated from 3.3.3 to 3.3.5
• addy.io (formerly AnonAddy) was updated from v5.0.1 to v5.0.2
• baresip was updated from 59.4.0 to 59.4.1
• droidVNC-NG was updated from 2.1.7 to 2.2.0
• e1547 – e621 browser was updated from 16.2.8 to 18.0.0
• eduVPN was updated from 3.2.1 to 3.2.2
• ente – encrypted photo storage was updated from 0.8.48 to 0.8.56
• ente Authenticator was updated from 2.0.30 to 2.0.34
• fWallet was updated from 1.1.2 to 1.1.4
• idTech4A++ was updated from 1.1.0harmattan37natasha to 1.1.0harmattan38natasha
• jtx Board journals&notes&tasks was updated from 2.07.00.ose to 2.07.01.ose
• ntodotxt was updated from 0.4.4 to 0.4.7
• openHAB Beta was updated from 3.9.2-beta to 3.9.3-beta
• whoBIRD was updated from 1.5 to 1.6

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With the second beta of iOS 17.4, Apple disabled much of the functionality of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in the European Union. There was some speculation that it could be a temporary change or a bug related to some of the updates to the app ecosystem in Europe, but Apple has confirmed that PWAs were intentionally removed and won’t be returning. ↫ Juli Clover at MacRumors When users in the European Union install iOS 17.4, all functionality regarding progressive web apps will be removed from iOS. This means that when you pin a PWA on your iOS home screen, instead of it opening ‘like an application’, so without any browser chrome but with additional other odds and ends to make it feel more like a native application, it’ll just open inside the full browser instead. It’s typical Apple behaviour – vindictive and petty. Their stated reasoning – it was too hard and too much work to implement this for engines other than WebKit – is a bunch of utter nonsense, since Apple had no issues with developing like 600 new APIs and a whole bunch of new complex frameworks and administrative layers just to support their malicious DMA compliance to ensure they wouldn’t lose a single cent of protection money when a developer wants to distribute an application outside of the App Store. PWAs were the only way you could get an application-like experience on your iPhone from something not controlled, owned, and monetised by Apple, so it had to go to force developers to choose either of Apple’s new, maliciously DMA compliant monetised distribution options in the EU. Every time this company does anything, it’s just… Slimy, scummy, sleazy, and anti-user.