Feature Request: Immediate New Tab creation & permanent tab retention

[osprashant]

📌 Summary

1. Immediate New Tab Creation: Tapping + should instantly create and register a new tab card (showing Homepage / Top Sites shortcuts) in the tab switcher, rather than just opening a search overlay that cancels when pressing back.
2. Permanent Tab Retention: All existing background tabs must remain saved indefinitely across app closures and restarts until explicitly closed with ✕.

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🔍 Current vs. Desired Behavior

• Current: Tapping + opens an address/search prompt. If cancelled, it drops back to the previous tab without keeping a new tab card.
• Desired:
  • Tapping + immediately creates a persistent new tab showing shortcuts/home screen.
  • Previous tabs stay permanently preserved in the tab switcher until manually closed.

[FuelClock]

Personally I think the current behaviour of the + opening the new tab overlay works alot nicer then how it is described in this feature request.
Having the ability to choose what kind of tab will open through the search overlay makes it very easy and quick to open specific info only in a new private tab, and other info in a regular tab.

This: https://imgur.com/a/jiXStvy is the + button I'm talking about btw, are you reffering to the same button? or are you reffering to the + button inside the tab like shown here: https://imgur.com/a/HnA09ZZ

The way this feature request is described makes it seem like choosing the new tab type on the fly will be alot slower and less intuitive

maybe this could be an optional toggle in the settings though?

[osprashant]

Tapping + immediately creates a persistent new tab .

Previous tabs stay permanently preserved in the tab switcher until manually closed

[Flanr4]

2. Permanent Tab Retention: All existing background tabs must remain saved indefinitely across app closures and restarts until explicitly closed with ✕

#560 was only 17 issues back; this feature is already built-in. + #504 (comment).
Please do a quick search before opening an issue—it lightens the load for a solo developer