---
type: youtube
source_url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ1LCFrwj08
retrieved: 2026-06-25
channel: "Alex Finn"
duration_sec: 818
has_transcript: false
---

# The new Hermes Agent update has me speechless.... (Alex Finn, 24.06.2026)

## Overview & Chapters
Alex Finn walks through the new Hermes Agent v0.17.0 "The Reach Release" updates, demonstrating why Hermes is growing faster than ever.

### Chapters:
- 0:00 Intro
- 0:26 Native iMessage (via Photon Spectrum)
- 2:51 Background agents
- 5:12 Unreal MCP
- 6:23 New Desktop App
- 7:56 Profile builder
- 9:42 Skills Hub
- 10:50 Smarter self improvement
- 12:02 Telegram updates

## Key Features & Announcements:
- **Native iMessage (Photon Spectrum, no Mac relay required):** Built on Photon's managed line pool. Uses `hermes photon login` via device code. No Mac or BlueBubbles bridge needed. Free to start, nothing to self-host.
- **Raft Agent Network:** Bundled Raft platform adapter connects Hermes to Raft (raft.build) as an external agent via wake-channel bridge. Wake payloads carry only metadata (IDs, timestamps), never message bodies.
- **Background / Async Subagents:** `delegate_task(background=true)` dispatches subagents in parallel. The model continues working, and the result re-enters the chat when done.
- **Image Editing:** `image_generate` can edit and transform source images ("make this logo blue", "remove background") routing to backend edit endpoints across all supported image providers.
- **Automation Blueprints:** Schedule tasks (e.g. "Daily news briefing at 8am") by answering simple questions natively on any surface (dashboard form, slash command, CLI, or messenger) without knowing cron syntax.
- **Cursor's Composer Model via Grok Subscription:** `grok-composer-2.5-fast` in xAI OAuth model picker with 200k context. Points Hermes to it over OAuth without a separate API key.
- **Desktop App Enhancements:** Keyboard shortcuts rebindable, native OS notifications with per-type toggles, live subagent watch-windows streaming activity, resizable VS Code-themed terminal pane, VS Code Marketplace theme installation.
- **Full Profile Builder in Dashboard:** Build profiles from the browser without manual YAML editing.
- **Skills Hub Browser Rehaul:** Featured section, skill previews, and security scans.
- **Memory Tool Upgrade (Atomic Batch Operations):** `operations` array for batch add/replace/remove atomically against final character budget, avoiding mid-edit failures.
- **Official WhatsApp Business Cloud API Adapter:** Direct Meta integration, no QR-scanning Baileys bridge needed.
- **Rich Text for Telegram:** proper rich messages via Bot API 10.1 (on by default, opt-out available).
- **Curator Cost Optimization:** LLM consolidation is now opt-in only (`curator.consolidate: true`). Background curation remains free and deterministic.
