Turn on hardware acceleration if available (such Android 3+) with Android APK 2.2

Question

I developed a application for Android 3.0, and it's runs perfectly well, but the client insist on compatibility with 2.2 devices.

Disabling hardware acceleration, using Android Compatibility Package, a NIO-backport support (For tasks and executors) and some reimplementation of View methods I was able to port my app for Android 2.2 and works really good, but if I run this apk into a newer device the performance is extremely slowly, so I want to know how to turn on hardware acceleration if available but still uses my 2.2 APK.

Answer 1

Add android:hardwareAccelerated="true" to your manifest, either for the <activity> or the <application>.

This attribute will be ignored on older versions of Android, but will be honored on Android 3.0+.

This will require you to have set your build target to API Level 11 or higher, but you probably already have that.

Answer 2

If you need support devises with old OS (2.3.X and older) version, not add android:hardwareAccelerated="true" to your manifest, try add this code in your java:

try { if( Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 11) getWindow().setFlags( 16777216, 16777216); } catch( Exception e) {} // FLAG_HARDWARE_ACCELERATED == 16777216 (0x01000000)

This is work in OS 3.0++ and not call error on 2.3.X and older.