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Official FBReader news. New features and releases, third-party plugins, plans, tech details, etc. https://fbreader.org
A Look into the Future of FBReader
Today, we've shared our vision for FBReader's future, outlining the key enhancements to improve the app.
This announcement is neither a commitment nor a fixed timeline. It includes a dozen points, and in January 2025 we can check the progress.
The final app update of 2023
Today, we've published stable FBReader 3.5.5 for Android. That is the latest update of the year unless something extremely critical is found.
The update includes all the fixes from betas 59-61. For a detailed list of the changes, please visit our website.
The year has brought many changes to our app. The most notable is the revitalization of the Android version development.
As usual, not all our plans were realized. We didn't release the planned updates for iOS and the cloud site. These are coming in 2024, together with many other changes and improvements.
We wish you a wonderful holiday and a prosperous new year.
One more beta update, 4.0 beta 59, is out. It
📚 fixes processing of font lists in CSS (only the first item of the list was used previously);
📚 fixes popup positions on the screen: their parts are never hidden under system panels;
📚 makes fewer requests to fbreader.org servers.
All the changes will be included in the final 2024 stable update, scheduled for the next week.
FBReader SDK for Android 1.2.0 is out
There were no updates for two years as the development of new features in FBReader for Android was on hold. This autumn, we released the new major version of FBReader for Android. The most significant addition is the possibility of continuous text scrolling. The SDK update includes all the changes from the mainstream FBReader.
The SDK works on Android API 21 (= Android 5.0) and higher and is built with target SDK 34 (= Android 14, the newest version at the moment).
FBReader 4.0 beta 57 for Android is available from the fbreader.org site and is awaiting review on Google Play.
The most notable enhancement of this release is the monochrome launcher icon for modern Androids. The improvements include better language detection (important for hyphenations). The update addresses the fullscreen mode issues on horizontally oriented phones and resolves many minor UI and stability flaws.
All the changes are to be included in the upcoming stable version 3.5.4.
The beta update
While FBReader 3.5 is releasing, we update the beta track. 4.0 beta 56 is out.
📚 The “Page turning” preferences section has been redesigned. The option for vertical page turning is back, and customisable tap zones are added.
📚 The encoding issues for file formats like RTF and plain text have gone.
📚 The update includes stability fixes in book downloading, voice selection, etc.
📚 We changed the main build target to API 34 (= Android 14). Most probably, that does not affect end-users. If you notice something strange in the behaviour, please report.
📚 All the changes except the build target will be promoted to 3.5.1, coming later this week.
FBReader 4.0 beta 54 for Android
We continue to release weekly updates of the beta. This version focuses on the interaction with the format plugins. We changed the protocol and fixed some issues, including losing positions on restart.
The version numbering of the plugins was slightly confusing. Starting this release, the plugin will have the same version number (e.g., 4.0 beta 54) as the main app it is released with.
The update also fixes a few UI issues in the main app.
The packages are available for download from our site right now. The Google Play uploads are waiting for the store approvement.
FBReader 4.0 beta 53 for Android
Please report any unusual behaviour of the beta, especially on the app start/book opening. This version uses the new app startup mechanism developed for the upcoming stable release 3.2.
The second update in the week didn't introduce any significant new features visible to the end users. It tweaks the UI and fixes a few stability issues, especially on the app startup. We expect that the new startup scheme avoids the accidental re-opening of the previous book.
We also released the format plugins 2.3.9. Although older versions are still compatible, we highly recommend updating the plugins together with the main app.
FBReader 4.0 beta 51 for Android
The release includes some changes that are developed for the upcoming FBReader 3.2. Most of them are not directly visible to the end users but are essential for the expected update. Please report any strange behaviour that appeared in the new beta.
📚 We stopped updating the app for Android 4.4. New releases will be available for Android 5.0 and newer
📚 The app requests fbreader.org server for existing updates at the start
📚 Extended Unicode support: the engine renders all characters, including emoji
📚 We have changed rendering parameters for images in the dark mode
📚 The “Action bar in reading mode” option is back
FBReader 2.0.5 for desktops
Another September update addresses a few annoying issues. In the LitRes store, we fixed possible errors during signing in. Windows version displays the genres list correctly.
The release improves the Unicode support: the app displays symbols with codes larger than 0xFFFF (e.g., emoji).
We changed the behaviour of the right-click menu to make it less confusing in some cases: the bookmark menu displays if the cursor is over an existing bookmark and the text selection at once.
Autumn 2023 sale
Paid versions of FBReader for Android and iOS are on sale for a week till 9th september.
The discount value depends on your country and is between 30% and 40% of the regular price. The sale runs in all the stores: Google Play, Huawei AppGallery, and Apple AppStore.
FBReader for Android: a maintenance release
📚 The target API is raised to 33 (Android 13), as required by Google Play
📚 We update both production (to 3.1.8) and beta (to 4.0 beta 49) tracks
📚 The format plugins are renewed too
📚 FBReader suggests itself for opening files via Samsung's built-in file manager
📚 FBReader 3.2 with new features is scheduled for September
FBReader 2.0.2 for Mac/Windows/Linux
The minor update improves network error processing, scratches debug info from the packages, and avoids conflicts with libraries installed in /usr/local/lib on MacOS X.
Starting from this release, the app checks for updates during starting. You can view the status in the About Dialogue.
All the packages are available for download from our site immediately. AppStore and Windows Store versions will be published after passing the review.
FBReader 1.1.8 for iOS
One more minor update will gradually become available to all users during the first week of June.
The release fixes possible reading freeze on books with SVG images.
Experimental RPM packages for Fedora 38
are available from our site. The RPMs are built for Intel (x86_64) and Arm (aarch64) architectures. We hope these packages work on other RPM-based distributions as well. Any feedback is highly appreciated.
The release of the RPMs means we refuse to build a Flatpak or AppImage in favour of traditional distribution-specific packages. However, we do not plan to stop releasing snaps.
We started from RPM, not DEB, for a reason beyond our control: Qt 6.5, used by the latest FBReader, is already packed for Fedora but not for Debian.
4.0 beta 62 for Android is out
The first beta update of 2024 brings significant internal changes. We have changed the zip archives support to the modern libzip library. The changes will likely not affect the end users. Moreover, we expect the app's behaviour to improve on some books. However, this is the beta. If you experience new crashes or slowdowns, please let us know.
We have also fixed a few UI points and the Huawei AppGallery license check issue.
4.0 beta 60 for Android is out
It is already available from our site and awaits review on Google Play.
We are rescheduling the stable release to the next week as we found a few essential issues in the beta 59. This update:
📚 fixes the footer position over the reading-aloud panel; it was broken in beta 59
📚 fixes saving position after the end of continuous scrolling; sometimes, there was a one-line inaccuracy
The release does not change the plugins, so we keep beta 59 packages for them.
FBReader 4.0 beta 58 for Android is available for download.
The update includes fixes and features scheduled for the mid-December stable release.
📚 New appearance option: “Neglect screen notches”. It is helpful for devices that wrongly detect display cutouts, e.g. if the front camera is hidden under the screen.
📚 The app does not store wrong reading per cent anymore. That fixes the library look.
📚 The footer is visible over the reading-aloud panel (you can switch to the old behaviour).
📚 The old-style footer option is back.
The update also fixes the synchronisation issue that caused the sync to work with delays. The issue does not appear in the release series.
FBReader 3.5.4 is on its way
📚 Monochrome launcher icon for Android 13 and 14
📚 Better book language detection
📚 Continuous scrolling works fine on old devices
📚 Multiple UI and stability fixes
FBReader 3.5.1 for Android
The update fixes issues and regressions found in the 3.5 release. We will end the gradual rollut and release 3.5.x to all users by the end of the week.
The changes include:
📚 Better fullscreen appearance on Android 9 devices
📚 Redesigned “Page turning & text scrolling” preferences section, including
📚 Customisable tap zones
📚 Vertical page turning option
📚 Fixed possible crash in the voice selection
📚 Fixed book encoding issues; changing encoding in the book info dialogue works again
📚 Fixed opening book from download notification
FBReader 3.5 for Android
Yes, it is 3.5. The release includes almost all essential features from the beta, so 3.2 looks insufficient to declare our most significant update in 2023. The details are listed in our site announcement.
You can download the 3.5 RC 1 from our site right now or wait until the rolling update from the store reaches your device.
Since this release, we have changed our attitude towards the stable and beta branches to more traditional. The stable (3.5.*) is recommended for most users. The betas (4.0 beta series) includes incomplete and not well-tested functions. Some of the features will never be promoted to the stable branch.
As a side note for beta users, we also released 4.0 beta 55 today, which includes all the latest fixes from the 3.5 RC 1.
FBReader 1.1.11 for iOS
The maintenance update fixes the processing of length CSS properties (sizes, margins, etc.). It also resolves a few issues that might cause the app to crash or freeze.
The release is already available for installation on the AppStore.
FBReader 4.0 beta 52 for Android
📚 “Continuous” (a.k.a. “vertical”) text scrolling
📚 The “Rescan” menu item in the library works again on Android 11+
The changes developed for the upcoming FBReader 3.2 and SDK 1.2 are available in the beta. Some changes should not directly affect the end users but make the app more stable or flexible. Please report any strange behaviour of the beta release.
FBReader 3.2 for Android release, scheduled for this September, is postponed till late October. We are sorry for that.
The release will include all the rendering improvements from the beta series and some new features.
FBReader for iOS 1.1.9
🍎 The routine update is available on the App Store. It makes the app fully compatible with the recently announced iPhone 15 series.
🍎 The SDK update (0.99.6) is released synchronously with the same changes.
🍎 FBReader 1.2, which brings new features, is expected by the end of 2023.
Quick-fix update for Android
📚 3.1.9/4.0 beta 50 is released two days after the previous release
📚 On Android 13, FBReader requests permission to send notifications. That makes the app more usable, especially in the reading-aloud mode
📚 The beta also implements “smallcaps” CSS property support for ePubs
📚 The packages are downloadable from our site and will be available in the stores as soon as they pass the reviews
FBReader 2.0.3 for Mac/Windows/Linux
Another minor update is uploaded to the stores and fbreader.org site. This version adds operations with in-text images: opening a separate window (in that you can zoom the image) and copying images to the clipboard.
The MacOS version fixes crashes in the library and the settings dialogue.
Updated FBReader Premium and PDF plugin for Android
The only change in this release is the Radaee PDF library upgrade. That fixes some rendering issues reported by our users. New versions are available on production (3.1.7, the plugin 2.2.15) and beta (4.0 beta 48, 2.3.7) tracks.
Please note that we do not update the free version this time.
As usual, the updates will be downloadable from the stores shortly (after the reviews) and are already available on our site.
FBReader 1.1.7 for iOS
The minor update is on a staged rollout this week. The release
🍏 fixes SVG files processing
🍏 fixes crash on rendering images in both text and the library
🍏 updates third-party code such as Google auth to the latest versions
Update 3.1.6/4.0 beta 47 for Android
The new minor update fixes several network library issues.
We also upgraded the Radaee PDF library to 3.65.25. That fixes possible crashes on most modern devices. Unfortunately, some devices do not work with this new version. There is no good universal solution. We are in touch with the Radaee developers. Hopefully, they resolve the issue very soon. If the latest update fails on your device, we recommend installing the previous version (3.1.5/4.0 beta 46) from our site.
The PDF plugin is also updated to 2.2.14/2.3.6.