# Ares - formerly Hermes Android 4.0.0

Stable release, base build **3048** (ABI splits `30481` / `30482` / `30483`).
Each split is above the highest published 4.0.0-rc.10 split, `30473`, and above
3.2.8. The production package `com.hermesagent.hermes_android` and signing
certificate are unchanged, so 4.0.0 installs over the existing app. This note
records every change since **3.2.8**.

The README showcase was recorded on the production-signed 4.0.0-rc.7 build during the candidate cycle, with illustrative fixture chats.

## Ares name and new icon

Hermes Android is now **Ares - formerly Hermes Android**, with Ares as the
launcher label. The new black-and-white Ares portrait is used for the launcher,
adaptive, round, Android 13+ themed and store artwork. The app still connects to
Hermes Agent.

## Classic and NextGen

Settings switches the whole app between Classic and NextGen. Saved gateways and
chats are shared. NextGen adapts the design and connection model of
[Kyllene](https://github.com/Giton22/kyllene) by Giton22 (MIT), with Geist type,
accent colours, pure black and glow options, a searchable chat sidebar with
one-tap search clearing, pins,
All / Running / Needs you filters, Scheduled, Insights, Capabilities and
Archived. Cron-run conversations have their own Crons filter, separate from
normal chats and Scheduled job management. New installs can choose Classic or
NextGen before connecting. Its pill composer provides model and thinking-level
controls, inline approvals and questions, steering, queuing, stop-and-send and
dictation. Fenced code blocks in both interfaces offer copy and line-wrap
controls.

NextGen More opens Classic features Kyllene lacks: memory, projects, model
management, provider sign-in, Nous Portal, the full cron editor and the gateway
config file. Back opens the NextGen sidebar before leaving the app. Sidebar
filters scroll sideways when translated labels do not fit.

Desktop Gateway sessions open and resume as `source: desktop`, so stock Hermes
provides its desktop file-delivery hint. The Android client-context note is not
appended on that transport; REST/API-server prompts retain it. Older saved turns
that contain the note still display cleanly.

## One dashboard sign-in

A gateway can use its dashboard address and one username/password or browser
PKCE sign-in, with token refresh and no API-server key on that path. The connect
screen probes the server, discovers LAN dashboards, warns about unencrypted
public addresses, stores Cloudflare Access service tokens per host, selects a
profile when several are available and names a failed server, sign-in or live
connection stage. Classic Add Connection offers the same flow.

## Files, plans and live work

NextGen supports photo, camera and file attachments, client certificates and all
shipped app languages. Images and other files up to 12 MB attach inline; larger
uploads stream to the gateway up to its 100 MB limit. Save and Share stream
delivered files up to 1 GiB, while previews retain the 25 MiB budget. `MEDIA:`
deliveries render as download, open and share cards.

The stacked session dock holds goal, loop and heartbeat controls, live tasks and
subagent status. Unread chats, attention colours and timestamps make running,
finished and waiting work easier to find. Background results and runtime notices
collapse into readable cards.

## Notifications and catch-up

Replies, failures, approvals, questions and secret requests can notify while out
of sight, with Allow once and Deny actions where applicable. Ordered event replay
uses `session.events.since` after a gap, reconnect or resume, with transcript
fallback for incomplete, truncated or wrong-epoch replies. NextGen Settings
includes notification controls, keep-alive, battery optimisation, a test
notification and recent notification diagnostics.

## Google Play, privacy and AI-output reporting

The Play AAB removes the GitHub APK install permission, update provider, update
checks and prompts. Updates are managed by Google Play. The ordinary GitHub APK
keeps its verified updater. Both builds link the public [privacy policy](
https://github.com/rusty4444/hermes-android/blob/main/PRIVACY.md) in Settings.

Classic assistant message actions and completed NextGen replies offer **Report
AI output**. The action opens a new public GitHub issue without automatically
attaching chat content, credentials or attachment paths.

## Performance and reliability

NextGen opens the latest 60 rows, pages earlier history as the reader scrolls,
caches parsed Markdown and lays out long replies in paragraph chunks. Large
history pages decode on a background isolate and trim tool and message payloads
to the displayed budgets. Automatic backfill is bounded, preventing tool-only
pages from repeatedly blocking the UI.

Insights waits for the gateway's 7/30/90-day report windows and offers retry.
Structured text parts no longer break NextGen or Classic delegated-task history
(Kyllene #419).

Provider chips in the NextGen model picker filter the list by provider and clear
with a second tap or All. Selected chips use accent-tinted surfaces with explicit
readable labels in dark mode.

## Verification

Release commits are gated by the repository's analysis, test, identity,
README-window, store-note, signing and publication checks.

_Built with AI assistance (Hermes Agent) and reviewed before release._