[Codename-11]

Summary

Prepare Hermes-Relay Android 1.16.0 from the verified integration head. This release makes cold startup and connection switching safer, prevents the reported network-change crash, and keeps Bot Mode and delegated-work feedback stable across multiple gateways.

Changes

• Bump Android from 1.15.1/code 54 to 1.16.0/code 55.
• Promote the nine Android changes into an Android-only changelog block while preserving Plugin 1.11.2 separately and leaving CLI+UI unchanged.
• Add the complete schema-3 What's New inventory with four highlights and compatibility boundaries.
• Regenerate the legacy What's New fallback, Play release notes, and Play listing note from the structured record.
• Rewrite the GitHub Android release body with the required download and verification guidance.

Verification

• python scripts/android-prepush.py --release-prep — passed, including 12 Android locale catalogs, localized docs, collection API compatibility, release-note/version alignment, and rendered Changelog/What's New tests; Gradle build completed successfully in 3m 15s.
• python scripts/check-android-release-notes.py --write followed by validation — passed for v1.16.0.
• python scripts/check-version-tracks.py — passed: Android 1.16.0/code 55, Plugin 1.11.2, CLI+UI 0.4.0-beta.7.
• git diff --check — passed.
• The base integration head 3ec89680eddad8412f32786e509da86f48bbd194 passed Android push CI run 34427976340, including tests, lint, both-flavor release smoke, DEX scanning, and packaged native compatibility.
• Combined physical-device certification and signed Play preflight remain release gates after this prep commit lands on dev; no device result is claimed by this metadata PR.

Screenshots

Release presentation was exercised by the rendered Changelog History and What's New tests. No product-layout change is introduced by the release metadata itself.

Compatibility / risk

Standard Chat, sessions, profiles, Manage, voice, Bot Mode, and delegated activity remain on current upstream Hermes. Plugin 1.11.2 is the matching optional Relay-tools release but is not required for the Android fixes. Existing erased or revoked Dashboard credentials still require legitimate sign-in. Direct API/API-only connections remain explicit, and Device Control plus the system Voice Focus overlay remain sideload-only.

Lineage / contributor credit

• Source PR(s): fix(android): bind dashboard auth to connection-owned routes #566, fix(android): preserve chat activity and correct feedback ownership #567, fix(android): prevent duplicate Bot Mode keys across connections #568, fix(android): normalize pasted dashboard credentials #570, fix(android): wake gateway on cold foreground #571, fix(android): serialize endpoint probe invalidation #572
• Attribution preserved by: original contributor and maintainer commits remain in history; this commit changes release metadata only.

Checklist

• Target branch is dev, unless this is a dev → main release PR or a focused production-tag hotfix PR to main
• Scope is focused and related issues/PRs are linked
• Android changes: release-prep lane passed; exact-head hosted Android checks remain required before merge
• Translation changes: locale validation passed for 12 catalogs; no translations changed
• Server/plugin changes: N/A; Plugin 1.11.2 metadata was released separately
• Desktop changes: N/A; CLI+UI remains unchanged
• Docs/site changes: generated Play listing note validated; no site routes changed
• UI changes were tested on a relevant device/emulator/desktop surface, or the missing proof is stated above
• Commit messages follow Conventional Commits
• CHANGELOG.md is updated for user-visible changes
• Public writing hygiene checked: no secrets, private infrastructure, personal names, or AI/process narration
• Salvaged/replacement work links source PRs and preserves contributor authorship