We already asked you to test the new features with the 2.5.1 beta program – but this will not be a point release. We included a lot of new features in this release. And as there are not only minor changes, but significant advancements, we decided to call it 2.6.0.
We have these awesome new features for you:
Camera Uploads
The 2.6.0 Android app includes an important improvement for one of our most used features, Instant uploads. Instant uploads will be replaced with the new Camera Uploads feature, available on all devices running Android 5 or higher.
To use this feature, as you can see in the screenshot below, just select a camera folder and the pictures and videos will be automatically uploaded in a period of 15 minutes at most. This focuses on reliability instead of immediacy and avoids battery draining caused by excessive checking of the folder.
Note: Please be aware that if you used the earlier Instant Uploads feature, you will lose the configuration and have to enable the “Camera Uploads” feature if you want to use it, since it needs to be initialized and configured properly.
As a few users had problems with Instant Uploads, we rethought the feature through from the ground. Checking the folder always, to ensure Instant Uploads, apparently did not work – so we decided to fix it for everyone, and call it Camera Uploads instead. We came to the conclusion, that Camera Uploads is a better focus than instant ones; by that, we also reduced the battery load.
Thanks for all the feedback you provided us! This way, we could adjust the app to your needs. Please be in touch with our developers about what you want to have in the app – the best way to do so is on Central.
Delicious: Android Oreo support
We have also included support for Android 8 Oreo, the latest version of Android operating system. You can now use its features. The best examples are notification categories – users can configure the notifications for ownCloud uploads and downloads separately, among others:
Some links ought to be private
Another interesting and new feature are Private Links. The ownCloud server offers an API to create Private Links since version 10.0.4. Now the Android app can use this capability, too. With a Private Link, you can easily share links of a shared file/folder to users on the same ownCloud server.
A private link points to a very specific location in the file hierarchy. This is very useful if you want to collaborate on the same file. Apart from that, it is more secure, as only people with an ownCloud account can open it.
Last but not least, we also updated the translations.
Get the Android app now!
This version is already available on Google Play Store and F-Droid, get it now! If you use ownCloud, but have not seen the Android app yet, check it out! If you already use it and like it, give us a review:
What do you think about these improvements? Share the post or leave us a comment: