## What’s New & Improved ------------------------------ Global Browser Experience * Full Multilingual Support: The browser interface is now fully localized for 8 additional languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, German, Italian, and Portuguese. * Native Terminology: Menus, settings, and toolbar actions now use standard browser terms in every supported language for a truly native feel. Advanced Download Management * Intelligent File Handling: Our new download engine now automatically detects non-web files (like ZIP, APK, and DMG) and prompts you to save them directly to your device. * Seamless Transfers: Optimized the hand-off between web requests and local storage, ensuring downloads are reliable and secure. * Quick Look Integration: Once a download is finished, you can now preview the file immediately or open the standard iOS Options menu to share it with other apps. Navigation & Connectivity Fixes * Smart Link Management: Refined our "Universal Link" blocker to keep you inside the browser while ensuring essential system links (like tel: for calls or mailto: for emails) still open their respective apps. * Improved Web Performance: Fixed several edge cases where the address bar spinner would stall during page transitions. * Authentication Support: Added a new secure login dialog for websites requiring HTTP Basic or Digest authentication. [1] Platform Optimizations * Enhanced Layout: Fixed several visual bugs on iPhone 16e and iPhone 17 to ensure the toolbar and AI search elements stay perfectly aligned on all screen sizes. Please do share: Any comments, suggestions, found bugs, or feature requests. Thank you for downloading Sheild! and your generous support is appreciated. ------------------------------

## What’s New & Improved New Feature: Integrated AI Search Box * Dynamic Homepage Search: You can now ask the AI anything directly from the homepage. Just type your query and hit "Enter" to launch the AI assistant. * Contextual Handoff: Your search text is automatically passed from the homepage into the AI interface for a seamless start. Critical Stability & Crash Fixes * UI Hierarchy Fix: Resolved a major crash caused by the AI button existing in multiple view parents. The button is now properly managed by the Toolbar system. * Safe Interaction: Implemented a "bridge" function for the AI Toolbar button to prevent Objective-C selector crashes during handoffs. * Thread Safety: Added Main-Thread enforcement when launching AI screens from the homepage to prevent background-process crashes. Adaptive Layout Improvements * iPhone 16e & 17 Compatibility: Fixed "Toolbar Bleeding" where the menu would stretch beyond the screen on smaller devices. * Dynamic Safe Areas: Switched to Safe Area Layout Guides to ensure the toolbar and AI button sit perfectly above the home indicator on all screen sizes. * Responsive Spacing: Replaced rigid fixed-width spaces with flexibleSpace to allow the toolbar to fit comfortably on 6.1" and 6.3" displays. Web Engine Reliability * Stall Detection: Added background logic to detect and reset the web process if the homepage or a site becomes unresponsive (White Screen fix). Please share: comments, suggestions, found bugs, or any feature requests! Thank you for downloading and your generous support helping improve Sheild! ------------------------------

* WebView Recovery – Fixed a long-standing bug where tabs could remain blank after a crash or app restart. Tabs now automatically reload the last URL or dynamic homepage, keeping your browsing smooth and uninterrupted. * Dynamic Homepage Reliability – The homepage now loads consistently, even if network images or scripts are delayed. * Improved Dark Mode & Dynamic Homepage Appearance – Dark mode styling and homepage visuals now appear correctly on launch. * General Stability & Performance Fixes – Various tweaks to prevent stalled pages and maintain spinner behavior. Your browsing experience should now feel faster, more reliable, and less prone to crashes. Please do share: found any found bugs, comments, suggestions, or any feature requests! Thank you for downloading and your generous support helping improve Sheild!

------------------------------ 1. Private On-Device AI (Beta) * Local Intelligence: Integrated a high-performance, 1-billion parameter LLM that runs entirely on your device. Your chats never leave your iPhone. * Lightning Fast: Optimized for the A14 chip and newer, featuring 4-bit quantization for rapid responses and reduced memory footprint. * Hybrid Fallback: Automatically switches to high-speed cloud inference if the local model is still downloading. 2. All-New Dynamic Homepage * Smart Weather: Get real-time local weather and conditions directly on your home screen. * Privacy-First Permissions: We only request your location when you tap the weather widget—no unsolicited pop-ups on startup. * Cross-Tab Sync: Your weather and settings now stay perfectly in sync across all open tabs and survive page reloads. 3. Performance & Security * Hardened Security: Advanced internal obfuscation for API keys to protect the app's infrastructure. * Memory Efficiency: Reduced app overhead by 40% using optimized KV cache management and smarter tab handling. * Reliability: Fixed "Hostname not found" and "JSON Parse" errors in the weather engine for more stable updates. Thank you for downloading Sheild, and your generous support helping to improve! ------------------------------

Live Weather (GPS-based): • Automatically detects your location using Apple GPS and displays current weather directly on the homepage powered. Minimal, fast, and privacy-friendly. Smarter Location Handling • Improved accuracy and fallback behavior for location detection, ensuring weather loads reliably even with intermittent permissions or signal issues. Local AI Identity Automation: • Introduced early-stage local AI identity logic—enabling more personalized, on-device behavior without relying on external services. Performance Improvements: • Reduced data usage and simplified weather parsing for faster homepage loading. Stability Fixes • Better handling of async homepage updates, preventing stuck “Loading…” states. Thank you for downloading Sheild, and your generous support helping to improve!

No More "Infinite Spin" • An overhauled loading logic. If the network hits a snag or DNS fails, the loading spinner now stops immediately and no more getting stuck! Lightning Fast Dynamic Homepage Consistent Custom Themes Stability Improvements: • Dynamic homepage now stays exact locked in custom colors so they won’t shift or "jump" when your system switches between Light and Dark modes. • Identified and squashed a deep-rooted performance bug involving background blurs. The Result: Clicking tabs, bookmarks, quick links now instant and flicker-free. • Smoother Navigation: Reduced GPU strain means a cooler device and a more responsive browsing experience. • Improved handling of "Provisional Failures" to get you back to browsing faster. • Fixed a rare layout issue where backdrop-filter: Glitch could affect the screen. • Refined "Edit Mode" for Top Sites—smoother animations and more reliable deletion. Thank you for your using Sheild, and your generous support helping to improve!

• Refactored: Unified logic prevents Universal Links Apps hijacking via interception. • UI Optimization: Synchronized urlBar reset logic to eliminate layout flickering. • Navigation: Implemented viewWithTag cleanup for error overlays during Navigation. • MIME/Extension Support: Integrated NWPath extension checking for decisionHandler(.download) on iOS 14.5+ • Bug Fixes: Resolved an issue where the homepage sometimes hanging wallpaper prevented dynamic content from loading into view correctly. Thank you for your continued generous support helping improve Sheild!

• Enhanced Dark Mode rendering • Faster, more stable homepage loading • Improved loading indicator behavior • Bug fixes and performance improvements • More enhanced features on the way! Thank you for your continued support helping improve Sheild!

New Stability and performance improvements: • Fixed navigation edge case with mailto: links causing WebView stalls • Improved handling of non-web URL schemes (mailto, tel, etc.) • Refined loading state logic to prevent UI blocking and spinner hangs • Optimized homepage loading flow for instant rendering • Improved Dark Mode behavior on dynamic and media-heavy content Thank you for your continued support helping improve Sheild!

• Refined toolbar UI (button sizing, spacing, and layout consistency) • Enhanced Dark Mode engine with improved handling of dynamic DOM content • Fixed media overlay issues affecting videos, images, and iframes • Improved CSS/JS targeting to prevent unintended background application • Stability and performance improvements

• Improved local AI response handling and completion. • Fixed WebView layout so page content no longer appears under the URL bar. • Better inset management in for correct page positioning.

+ Important New Feature Improvements & Major Critical Bug Fixes + Intelligent Download Support • Direct File Handling: You can now download files (ZIP, APK, PDF, and more) directly within the app. • Privacy-First Downloads: Files are saved to your device's local Documents folder without tracking your download history. • Quick Preview: Open and view your downloaded files immediately with the new built-in previewer. + Smoother Navigation * Smart Back/Forward: We’ve overhauled the navigation engine to skip over "blank" and invalid pages automatically. No more getting stuck on redirect loops! * Crash Fixes: Resolved the "Error -999" and "Frame Interrupted" issues that previously caused annoying error popups during site transitions. + Polished User Interface • Central Activity Loader: A new high-visibility central spinner keeps you informed during page loads and downloads, even when your toolbars are hidden. • Dynamic Toolbar Dimming: Navigation buttons now intelligently dim when there’s no valid history to go back or forward to. • Enhanced Smart Dark Mode: Improved logic to ensure your dark/light preferences apply instantly and consistently across all tabs. + Stability & Privacy * Ephemeral State: Internal error tracking and temporary URL blacklists now reset automatically to ensure a fresh, private browsing session every time you navigate.

• New Dynamic Home Dashboard Features: • Persistent Storage: Your top sites are saved in UserDefaults (Swift), so they never disappear. • Dynamic UI: 4-across grid with automatic wrapping and smart "X" buttons. • Smarter Private AI: more thorough, accurate, and complete responses. • Intelligent Communications: JS/Swift Add sites, open AI, or hide toolbars, and render the saved data. • Performance & Privacy: • Professional UX: Toolbars that toggle with a tap and a grid that stays sharp on any screen size. • UI Polish: Show/ Hide Toolbars URLbar for a truly full-screen experience. • One-Tap Review: Love Shield? Rate directly from the Settings page to help stay independent.

• Dynamic Home Dashboard • An all-new homepage features a compact Action Grid and Top Sites layout. Access Private AI, Burn History, and your favorite sites in a single tap—all while keeping your open tabs organized below. • Smarter Private AI • Long-Press Power: Take control of AI responses with long-press actions to share or copy. • Persistent Sessions: Your AI conversations now save automatically, so you can pick up right where you left off. • Precision Browsing • Find in Page: Search and highlight text instantly on any website. • Enhanced Selection: Refined text selection—tap individual words for easier copying and privacy-first actions. • Performance & Privacy • UI Polish: Fixed the URL bar background "sticking" during auto-hide for a truly full-screen experience. • One-Tap Review: Love Shield? Rate us directly from the Settings page to help us stay independent. • Bug Squashing: Smoother navigation, cleaner Settings, and optimized local model loading.

* Critical Bug Fix: URL bar now reliably receives focus on iPhone — typing and search work again. * Glass/Blur UI improved: Rounded corners restored on URL bar with shadow while keeping transparency effect. * Touch responsiveness: Tap gestures and AI input now fully tappable even with transparent toolbars.

>> Persistent AI chats with “You:” & “AI:” labels >> Live AI thinking + local model download with cloud fallback >> Sleek glass floating toolbar & URL bar, auto-hide with tap-to-reveal Major AI & UI Upgrade! • Persistent AI Conversations — Keep your chats alive while switching tabs, with “You:” and “AI:” labels for clarity. • AI Thinking Indicator — See when the AI is processing, whether using local LLM or cloud fallback. • Model Download & Cloud Fallback — Private local AI downloads in the background with progress feedback; cloud fallback ensures instant answers. • Long-press Copy/Share — Press and hold AI answers to copy or share. • Glass Floating UI — Transparent, floating URL bar and toolbar that look modern while staying readable over any webpage. • Tap-to-Reveal Toolbar — Bottom toolbar can be revealed easily when hidden, even on pages with no scroll. * Improved Toolbar & URL Bar Behavior — Auto-hide works smoothly, buttons stay visible and distinct, and UI responds naturally on all devices.

Smarter AI Conversations Our built-in AI assistant just got a massive brain upgrade. • Persistent Memory: Your AI chats now survive app switching and minimizing. Pick up exactly where you left off. • Role Labeling: New "You" vs "AI" bubbles for a cleaner, chat-like experience. • Instant Thinking: A new immediate indicator shows you exactly when the AI is processing. Model indicator (Private LLM vs Cloud): • Model Transparency: Easily see if you're chatting with our on-device Private LLM or the Cloud for heavy lifting. • Power User Shortcuts: Long-press any message to instantly copy or share insights. Core UX: The "Glass" Visual Overhaul We’ve redesigned the browser to get out of your way. • Transparent UI: Experience a stunning, modern look with a transparent URL bar and toolbar that blends seamlessly with the web. • Edge-to-Edge Browsing: Websites now flow behind the navigation bars, giving you more screen real estate. • Auto-Hiding Interface: Scroll down to hide the UI entirely; scroll up to bring it back instantly. Floating AI Trigger: The "Ask AI" button now floats intelligently above the toolbar, ready whenever you need it. Under the Hood • Fixed "Ghost Bar" issues where white/red gaps appeared during scrolling. • Improved tab switching speed and stability. • Enhanced Private LLM battery optimization for longer browsing sessions.

> Introducing in this Version Local AI • On-Device Intelligence: Experience our brand-new AI assistant powered by Llama 3.2. Everything stays on your device—no data leaves your phone, and it works even without an internet connection. • Instant Responses: Optimized for the Apple Neural Engine to give you lightning-fast answers right in your browser. ]Major Bug Fixes * Fixed the "Infinite Spinner": Resolved a persistent issue where the loading spinner would stay active across different URLs. The progress indicator now accurately reflects page states and resets correctly every time. * URL Bar Ghosting: Fixed a layout bug where the URL bar and text were visible behind the system clock and notifications. The URL bar now hides fully and correctly respects the top safe-area constraints for a truly immersive full-screen experience. UI Improvements * New Iconography: Swapped text buttons for intuitive SF Symbols. * Clean Slate: Added a "Clear Chat" feature to quickly reset your AI conversations.

• Warp Speed: Performance Boost – Optimized the loading engine to remove unnecessary delays.. • New: Smart History: Private autocomplete suggests sites as you type (all processing stays on-device). * UI Polish – Ultra-Smooth UI: Resolved a bug where the URL bar text flicker. • Better IP Support: Improved Navigation: Smarter handling for IP addresses and local network addresses in the URL bar. * Fixed a bug where direct IP addresses wouldn't load from the suggestion list. * Improved Error Handling – Enhanced the "Retry" logic to ensure you can get back to browsing instantly after a connection failure. + Coming Soon: Adding to Private Autocomplete from bookmarks other sources etc.

* Streamlined the browser engine by removing brittle preflight checks and tightening navigation flow • Added a clear, inline error message when a page fails to load, making failures more intuitive and less confusing * Fixed: Improved Light/Dark Mode behavior to resolve conflicts between system appearance and the app’s own settings

New Update Performance, Improvements, Fixes: • Quick Action Toolbar* – A single tap the new Shield icon to instantly clear all browsing data. • Fresh New Icons – enjoy a cleaner, sharper, and more consistent look throughout the app. • Improved Modal UX: Back, Forward, and new Shield icon to clear all browser data button. * Dark & Light Mode Fix – resolved conflicts between system and app theme settings; now display correctly.

This update Performance, Improvements, Fixes: • Bugfix History Items: Add history entry only for urls. • Clickable History Items: Tap any history entry to instantly navigate to that page.

Hello, Mac! Native Mac Support: Experience the browser you love, now optimized for macOS. Desktop Browsing: Websites now default to their full desktop layouts, perfect for the big screen. Window Intelligence: Support for window resizing, full-screen mode, and Split View. Power User Shortcuts Master your browsing with familiar Command shortcuts: Cmd + T: Open a New Tab Cmd + W: Close current Tab Cmd + L: Jump to Address Bar Cmd + R: Refresh Page Cmd + D: Quick Bookmark Enhanced Tab & Bookmark Management Redesigned Tab Overview: A gorgeous, full-screen grid to see all your open sites at a glance (now works seamlessly on Mac!). Smart Blocking: Improved logic prevents clutter by blocking bookmarks for local files and internal homepages. Performance Snapshots: Faster, more reliable tab previews using our updated asynchronous snapshot engine. Under the Hood Content Blocker 2.0: Updated tracker blocking to keep your browsing private and fast. State Restoration: The app now remembers your open tabs even if it's closed or restarts. Haptic Precision: Refined feedback for saves and actions on iOS. Superior Dark Mode • Anti-Flash Loading: No more "white flashes" when opening websites at night, now stays dark from the moment you hit "Go." • Bugfix for handling of dynamic content pages is finally here: Ultra-light contrast rescue for JS-heavy, inline css, dynamic content, where dark mode no longer risks poor text/background contrast.

Superior Dark Mode • Anti-Flash Loading: No more "white flashes" when opening websites at night. The browser engine now stays dark from the moment you hit "Go." Refined Controls • Enhanced Focus: Tapping the address bar now automatically reveals the full URL for easy editing, while keeping the "clean" domain view while you browse. • Adaptive Address Bar: A brand-new Indigo-tinted address bar that adapts perfectly to your theme for better legibility and a modern look. Snappier Browsing • Instant URL Feedback: The address bar now updates the moment the server responds, so you know exactly where you’re headed without waiting for the full page to load. • Smart Address Bar: The bar now intelligently hides the reload button on your homepage for a cleaner, more focused search experience. • Still 1MB: Added power, zero bloat. Notes for Power Users Next focus: Refined handling for dynamic content pages. Ultra-light contrast rescue for JS-heavy, inline css, dynamic content, where dark mode still risks poor text/background contrast.

The 1MB Powerhouse just got smarter. • Smart Dark Mode (TZLDM): No more "invisible" logos, auto detects top-zone images and ensures they stay visible, even on the darkest sites. • Sticky Style Fix: Improved engine sync ensures that when you turn Dark Mode off, websites actually listen. • Zero-Flicker Load: New pre-paint protection means no more white flashes when opening tabs at night. • Still 1MB: Added power, zero bloat.