diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index 28ccb3c..b47d135 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ android {
         applicationId = "de.ggb.kwabatv"
         minSdk = 21
         targetSdk = 34
-        versionCode = 1
-        versionName = "1.0"
+        versionCode = 2
+        versionName = "1.1.0"
         buildConfigField("String", "WEBSITE_URL", "\"https://kwaba-dev.whodovoodoo.pasteaf.de/tv\"")
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/ggb/kwabatv/UpdateChecker.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/ggb/kwabatv/UpdateChecker.kt
index 71bb713..02b5b76 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/ggb/kwabatv/UpdateChecker.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/ggb/kwabatv/UpdateChecker.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package de.ggb.kwabatv
 
 import org.json.JSONArray
+import java.net.HttpURLConnection
+import java.net.URL
 
 /** A qualifying update found on Gitea: display version and the APK's direct download URL. */
 data class UpdateInfo(val version: String, val apkDownloadUrl: String)
@@ -65,4 +67,24 @@ object UpdateChecker {
         }
         return best?.second
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Fetches the releases list and returns the newest qualifying update, or null - including
+     * on any failure (network unreachable, non-200 response, malformed body). An update check
+     * is a nice-to-have; it must never be able to crash or visibly disrupt normal app use.
+     */
+    fun checkForUpdate(currentVersion: String): UpdateInfo? {
+        return try {
+            val connection = URL(RELEASES_API_URL).openConnection() as HttpURLConnection
+            connection.connectTimeout = 8000
+            connection.readTimeout = 8000
+            connection.requestMethod = "GET"
+            connection.setRequestProperty("Accept", "application/json")
+            if (connection.responseCode != 200) return null
+            val body = connection.inputStream.bufferedReader().use { it.readText() }
+            pickUpdate(body, currentVersion)
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            null
+        }
+    }
 }