Combined BUG / regression issues that need attention and response.

[ToddCrimson]

Steps to reproduce

Dear element-android devs. There are some very key critical bugs and regression that have been introduced in your latest builds, reported all over the issues, but there hasn't been a single response from any dev on those issues. I implore you to please provide a response. Any response would be helpful. I see that you are active here, since you just posted a release on 1.6.28, but that post has no mention of addressing the existing regressions.

1. Ver 1.6.20 introduced the Microphone bug, detailed in this issue log many times. Brief summary: If the focus from active app is shifted, the microphone access went away.
2. Ver 1.6.22 introduced the App Crash bug, also detailed many times. Where if you your device is screen locked, and anyone else calls you on element, the app crashes within a second. You may receive half a bell.
3. Ver 1.6.24 fixed the Microphone bug, but kept the device sceen locked, crash bug.
4. Ver 1.6.26 continued with the crash bug when screen locked, but also introduced another regression, where Microphone access will not be given back to OS, even when the call ended.

The crash is causing the app to be very much non-usable in use cases where users are not just chatting but also doing audio / video calls. There are other issues reported as well, which are buggy, but this one is very critical.

Right now, on Android, your latest releases are no usable to receive calls. (We haven't tested it on iOS).
The only way we can make our use case work is to continue to using ver 1.6.18., but that version doesn't have support for authenticated media, so we have to turn that off on our synapse matrix server.

I can see that you have now made release announcement for version 1.6.28, but have no clue what that release is going to address or fix.

I understand that element is busy releasing element X, but that app doesn't yet fully replace element-android functionality and we are dependent on a functioning element-android app.

Could one of you devs (@bmarty , @BillCarsonFr , @ouchadam , @ganfra , @onurays , @Florian14 , @ericdicanin) or any representative of element please provide clarity and an answer?

I know that a lot of us would benefit from clarity, intent and timeline if any.

Thank you.

Outcome

Expect a response and timeline for the regressions that have been introduced.

Your phone model

Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 A, Pixel 9

Operating system version

Android 14 and 15

Application version and app store

Element version 1.6.20, 1.6.22, 1.6.24 and 1.6.26

Homeserver

Synapse 1.121.1 (2024-12-11)

Will you send logs?

Yes

Are you willing to provide a PR?

No

[ToddCrimson]

some action on the crashing part here: #8964 (comment)

and a PR here: #8989 (comment)

Thank you @christianrowlands for your efforts on this.

[ToddCrimson]

What's going on here?