Mobile App Android Public Beta

Your internet radio, now on the go.

We built a dedicated Android version so you can take BearWave with you. Fast, simple, and optimized for touch.

Download APK

GitHub GitLab

APK GitLab Releases

Open

Looking for the Desktop App?

BearWave for KDE Plasma and Linux lives on the main site.

View Desktop Version

Features

Built for mobile listening, not feature checklists.

Core capabilities for on-the-go radio with Android Auto, Cast, and fast station access.

Android Auto

Full dashboard integration. Browse stations, favorites, and control playback directly from your car.

Google Cast

Stream your favorite stations losslessly to any Chromecast-enabled smart speaker.

Built with Flutter

A beautiful, reactive UI that seamlessly adapts to the KDE desktop's dark theme aesthetics.

Screenshots

Technologies

Mobile platform & integrations

BearWave Mobile uses Flutter, Android Auto, and Google Cast for a seamless mobile experience.

Flutter

Android Auto

Google Cast

Radio Browser API

Background Audio

Material Design

Install

Installation

BearWave for Android is distributed as a sideloadable APK via GitLab Releases. Follow the steps below for download and installation — developers can also use the Flutter build path.

Android

APK Download

Download the latest APK from GitLab Releases and install it on your phone in a few steps.

APK GitLab Releases

Open

Download the APK

Open GitLab Releases, pick the latest version, and download the .apk file to your device. Easiest directly in your phone's browser.
Allow installation from this source

On first install, Android asks whether your browser or file manager may install apps — confirm that. If needed: Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps → enable the app you used.
Install the APK

Open the downloaded file from your Downloads folder or notification shade and tap Install. Confirm when Android prompts you.
Launch the app

After installation, find BearWave in your app drawer. On first launch, Android may request media player permissions — these are required for streams and background playback.

Recommended: Android 8.0 (Oreo) or newer. The app is not on the Play Store — grab future updates from GitLab Releases as well.

Source

Flutter Build

Clone the repository and build the app locally with the Flutter SDK.

Open repository

git clone https://github.com/spalencsar/bearwave-android.git
cd bearwave-android
flutter pub get
flutter run

100% Free & Open Source Software

BearWave Mobile is licensed under the GPLv3. No ads, no tracking, no mandatory accounts. The entire source code is available on GitHub and GitLab.

GitHub GitLab

Go to Install View Desktop Version

Frequently Asked Questions

Does BearWave support Android Auto?

Yes! BearWave fully integrates with Android Auto. You can browse your favorite stations, explore Top stations or genres, and control playback directly from your car's dashboard.

Can I cast music to my smart speakers?

Absolutely. BearWave includes Google Cast support so you can seamlessly stream any internet radio station to your Chromecast or Google Home devices.

Will this be available on the Google Play Store?

BearWave is currently distributed via GitLab and GitHub Releases as a sideloadable APK. A Play Store release might happen in the future, but for now you can always download the latest version directly from our repositories.

Where is my data stored on the device?

The app stores your personal settings (such as volume and last station) as well as favorites and listening history locally on the device using Android's SharedPreferences.

Temporary files like station logos or cached album art are stored in Android's standard cache directory, which the system may clean up automatically when needed.

There is no tracking, no analytics services (such as Firebase Analytics), and no ad SDKs. All data stays 100% local on your device.

What permissions does the app require?

BearWave only requests the permissions a media player actually needs — nothing more.

INTERNET

Fetches radio streams and station logos, and powers search via the Radio Browser API.
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE ACCESS_WIFI_STATE

Checks whether an internet connection is available and discovers Chromecast/Google Cast devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE

Required for Google Cast discovery to find devices on your network.
FOREGROUND_SERVICE FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MEDIA_PLAYBACK

Allows stable background audio playback when the screen is locked or you switch to another app.
WAKE_LOCK

Prevents the CPU from entering deep sleep during playback and dropping the stream.

Does it sync with the desktop app?

No. To maximize your privacy and keep the app fully server- and account-free, there is no synchronization between the desktop and Android versions. Both apps work completely independently and locally.

Updates

Release Notes

Version 1.0.0

2026-06-06

Added

Initial release of BearWave for Android.
KDE-styled Material Design UI inspired by the desktop app.
Live stream playback of internet radio stations powered by `just_audio` and `audio_service`.
Full integration with the Radio Browser API for station discovery.
Search, filtering, and favorites list for radio stations.
Google Cast and Chromecast discovery and playback support.
Android Auto integration with station browsing and playback.
Dark mode theme matching the KDE desktop aesthetics.
Multi-language support (English, German/Deutsch, and Dutch/Nederlands).

Contact & Legal Notice

Provider Information (Section 5 DDG)

Sebastian Palencsar

Senior Infrastructure Architect

Bahnhofstrasse 8

17213 Malchow

Contact

Email: dev@bearwave.app

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