feat: add release announcement for InkNest v1.4.4 with new features and enhancements

Author: pushpender-singh-ap

docs/blog/2026-02-03-release-v1.4.4.md

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+---
+slug: release-v1.4.4
+title: InkNest v1.4.4 Release
+authors: [p2devs]
+tags: [release]
+---
+
+# 📢 InkNest v1.4.4 Release Announcement
+
+Hey everyone! 🎉 We're excited to announce **InkNest v1.4.4** is now available!
+
+<!-- truncate -->
+
+## ✨ What's New
+
+### 📱 Gravity Scroll - Hands-Free Reading
+The headline feature of this release is **Gravity Scroll**, a revolutionary way to read manga hands-free! Simply tilt your device to navigate through pages.
+
+- **Tilt-based navigation**: Tilt your phone forward to scroll up, backward to scroll down
+- **Customizable sensitivity**: 10-level sensitivity slider (1-10) to adjust tilt responsiveness
+- **Auto/Manual calibration**: Choose between automatic calibration when your phone is still, or manual calibration with a tap
+- **Haptic feedback**: Light vibration confirms scroll start/stop for tactile feedback
+- **Real-time tilt indicator**: Visual display shows your current tilt angle and scroll direction
+- **Built-in walkthrough**: Interactive tutorial introduces new users to gravity scroll controls
+
+**Battery optimization**: The feature uses throttled sensor updates (10Hz) and frame processing (30fps) to minimize battery impact while maintaining smooth scrolling.
+
+### 🔧 Android Enhancements
+
+#### New Permissions
+- Added `VIBRATE` permission to AndroidManifest.xml for haptic feedback support
+
+#### ProGuard Rules
+- Updated ProGuard rules to include Google Play Services, Firebase, and OkHttp libraries for better release build optimization
+
+### 🐛 Bug Fixes
+
+#### Navigation & Notifications
+- Fixed null safety issue in BottomNavigation notification handling that could cause crashes with certain notification payloads
+
+#### Authentication
+- Added validation to ensure Google Sign-In configuration is properly set before attempting sign-in, preventing confusing error messages
+
+### 📦 Dependencies & Configuration
+
+#### New Dependencies
+- `react-native-sensors` (^7.3.6) - Access device accelerometer for tilt detection
+- `react-native-orientation-locker` (^1.7.0) - Enhanced orientation control during reading
+
+#### Build Configuration
+- Version bump: **Android 33 / 1.4.4**, **iOS 1.4.4**
+- InkNest-Externals submodule refreshed with latest changes
+- iOS build script cleanup - removed unused input and output paths
+
+## 🛠️ Upgrade Notes
+- Run `cd ios && pod install` after pulling to pick up new native dependencies
+- Gravity Scroll is opt-in - enable it from the reading settings to try hands-free reading
+- For best results with Gravity Scroll, hold your device in a comfortable position and calibrate before use
+
+---
+
+**Update now** to enjoy hands-free manga reading with Gravity Scroll! 📚✨
+
+As always, if you encounter any issues, please report them in our issues channel. Happy reading! 🦋