Platforms

This document provides information about Android platform releases. In order to compile your application against a particular platform release, you must download and install the SDK Platform for that release. If you want to test your application on an emulator, you must also download at least one system image for that platform release.

Each platform release includes system images that support a specific processor architecture, such as ARM EABI, Intel x86 or MIPS. Platform releases also include a system image that contains Google APIs. The SDK Manager lists available platform system images under each platform version header, for example:

  • ARM EABI v7a System Image
  • Intel x86 Atom System Image
  • MIPS System Image
  • Google APIs

To determine what revisions of an Android platform you have installed, refer to the Packages listing in the Android SDK Manager.

Important: To download the most recent Android system components from the Android SDK Manager, you must first update the SDK Tools to the most recent release and restart the SDK Manager. If you do not, the latest Android system components will not be available for download.

Android 4.4W

Revision 1 (June 2014)

Initial release for Android Wear.

Dependencies:

  • Android SDK Platform-tools r20 or higher is required.
  • Android SDK Tools 23.0 or higher is required.

Device Definitions

The platform includes the following device definitions for use in creating Android Virtual Devices in the AVD Manager:

  • Android Wear Round (320 x 320, hdpi)
  • Android Wear Square (320 x 320, hdpi)

Android 4.4

Revision 2 (December 2013)

Maintenance release. The system version is 4.4.2.

Dependencies:
Android SDK Platform-tools r19 or higher is required.
Android SDK Tools 22.3 or higher is recommended.

Revision 1 (October 2013)

Initial release. The system version is 4.4.

Dependencies:
Android SDK Platform-tools r19 or higher is required.
Android SDK Tools 22.3 or higher is recommended.

Google APIs System Image

Revision 4 (March 2014)

This release includes Google Play services version 4.3, allowing you to test your application in an emulator using the latest Google Play services.

Revision 3 (February 2014)

This release includes Google Play services version 4.2.42, allowing you to test your application in an emulator using the latest Google Play services.

Revision 2 (December 2013)

This release includes Google Play services version 4.0.33.

Revision 1 (October 2013)

Initial release. This release includes Google Play services version 4.0.30.

Android 4.3

Revision 2 (August 2013)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.3.

Dependencies:
Android SDK Platform-tools r18 or higher is required.
Android SDK Tools 22.0.4 or higher is recommended.

Revision 1 (July 2013)

Initial release. The system version is 4.3.

Dependencies:
Android SDK Platform-tools r18 or higher is required.
Android SDK Tools 22.0.4 or higher is recommended.

Google APIs System Image

Revision 3 (September 2013)

Maintenance update. This release includes Google Play services version 3.2.65.

Revision 2 (August 2013)

Maintenance update. This release includes Google Play services version 3.2.25.

Revision 1 (July 2013)

Initial release. This release includes Google Play services version 3.1.58.

Android 4.2

Revision 2 (February 2013)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.2.2.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r21 or higher is required.

Revision 1 (November 2012)

Initial release. The system version is 4.2.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r20 or higher is required.

Device Definitions

The platform includes the following device definitions for use in creating Android Virtual Devices in the AVD Manager:

  • Nexus 7 (7.3", 800 x 1280, Large tvdpi screen)
  • Galaxy Nexus (4.7", 720 x 1280, Normal xhdpi screen)
  • Nexus S (4.0", 480 x 800, Normal hdpi screen)
  • Nexus One (3.7", 480 x 720, Normal hdpi screen)
  • 10.1" WXGA Tablet (1280 x 800, X-Large mdpi screen)
  • 7.0" WSVGA Tablet (1024 x 600, Large mdpi screen)
  • 5.4" FWVGA (480 x 854, Large mdpi screen)
  • 5.1" WVGA (480 x 800, Large mdpi screen)
  • 4.7" WXGA (1280 x 720, Normal xhdpi screen)
  • 4.65" 720p (720 x 1280, Normal xhdpi screen)
  • 4.0" WVGA (480 x 800, Normal hdpi screen)
  • 3.7" WVGA (480 x 800, Normal hdpi screen)
  • 3.7" FWVGA slider (480 x 854, Normal hdpi screen)
  • 3.4" WQVGA (240 x 432, Normal ldpi screen)
  • 3.3" WQVGA (240 x 400, Normal ldpi screen)
  • 3.2" QVGA ADP2 (320 x 480, Normal mdpi screen)
  • 3.2" HVGA slider ADP1 (320 x 480, Normal mdpi screen)
  • 2.7" QVGA slider (240 x 320, Small ldpi screen)
  • 2.7" QVGA (240 x 320, Small ldpi screen)

Android 4.1

Revision 3 (October 2012)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.1.2.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r20 or higher is required.

Revision 2 (July 2012)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.1.1.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r20 or higher is required.

Revision 1 (June 2012)

Initial release. The system version is 4.1.0.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r20 or higher is required.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes the following emulator skins:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA400 (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • WQVGA432 (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)
  • WXGA720 (1280x720, extra-high density, normal screen)
  • WSVGA (1024x600, medium density, large screen)
  • WXGA800-7in (1280x800, high density, large screen) new
  • WXGA800 (1280x800, medium density, xlarge screen)

To test your application on an emulator that represents the Nexus 7 tablet device, you can create an AVD with the new WXGA800-7in skin. For best performance, make sure to enable graphics acceleration in the emulator configuration.

Android 4.0.3

Revision 3 (March 2012)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.0.4.

Note: This system image includes support for emulator hardware graphics acceleration when used with SDK Tools r17 or higher. (more info)

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r17 or higher is required.

Revision 2 (January 2012)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.0.3.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r14 or higher is required.

Revision 1 (December 2011)

Initial release. The system version is 4.0.3.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r14 or higher is required.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes the following emulator skins:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA400 (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • WQVGA432 (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)
  • WXGA720 (1280x720, extra-high density, normal screen)
  • WSVGA (1024x600, medium density, large screen)
  • WXGA (1280x800, medium density, xlarge screen)

Android 4.0

Android 4.0, Revision 2 (December 2011)

Maintenance update. The system version is 4.0.2.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r14 or higher is required.

Android 4.0, Revision 1 (October 2011)

Initial release. The system version is 4.0.1.

Dependencies:
SDK Tools r14 or higher is required.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes the following emulator skins:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA400 (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • WQVGA432 (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)
  • WXGA720 (1280x720, extra-high density, normal screen) new
  • WSVGA (1024x600, medium density, large screen) new
  • WXGA (1280x800, medium density, xlarge screen)

To test your application on an emulator that represents the latest Android device, you can create an AVD with the new WXGA720 skin (it's an xhdpi, normal screen device). Note that the emulator currently doesn't support the new on-screen navigation bar for devices without hardware navigation buttons, so when using this skin, you must use keyboard keys Home for the Home button, ESC for the Back button, and F2 or Page-up for the Menu button.

However, due to performance issues in the emulator when running high-resolution screens such as the one for the WXGA720 skin, we recommend that you primarily use the traditional WVGA800 skin (hdpi, normal screen) to test your application.

Android 3.2

Android 3.2, Revision 1 (July 2011)

Initial release. SDK Tools r12 or higher is recommended.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes the following emulator skin:

  • WXGA (1280x800, medium density, xlarge screen)

For more information about how to develop an application that displays and functions properly on all Android-powered devices, see Supporting Multiple Screens.

Android 3.1

Android 3.1, Revision 3 (July 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r12 or higher.

Notes:

Improvements to the platform's rendering library to support the visual layout editor in the ADT Eclipse plugin. This revision allows for more drawing features in ADT and fixes several bugs in the previous rendering library. It also unlocks several editor features that were added in ADT 12.

Android 3.1, Revision 2 (May 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r11 or higher.

Notes:

Fixes an issue with the visual layout editor rendering library that prevented Android 3.1 from running in ADT.

Android 3.1, Revision 1 (May 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r11 or higher.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes the following emulator skin:

  • WXGA (1280x800, medium density, xlarge screen)

For more information about how to develop an application that displays and functions properly on all Android-powered devices, see Supporting Multiple Screens.

Android 3.0

Android 3.0, Revision 2 (July 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r12 or higher.

Notes:

Improvements to the platform's rendering library to support the visual layout editor in the ADT Eclipse plugin. This revision allows for more drawing features in ADT and fixes several bugs in the previous rendering library. It also unlocks several editor features that were added in ADT 12.

Android 3.0, Revision 1 (February 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r10 or higher.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes the following emulator skin:

  • WXGA (1280x800, medium density, xlarge screen)

Android 2.3.4

Android 2.3.4, Revision 1 (May 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r11 or higher.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes a set of emulator skins that you can use for modeling your application in different screen sizes and resolutions. The emulator skins are:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA400 (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • WQVGA432 (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)

Android 2.3.3

Android 2.3.3, Revision 2 (July 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r12 or higher.

Notes:

Improvements to the platform's rendering library to support the visual layout editor in the ADT Eclipse plugin. This revision allows for more drawing features in ADT and fixes several bugs in the previous rendering library. It also unlocks several editor features that were added in ADT 12.

Android 2.3.3, Revision 1 (February 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r9 or higher.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes a set of emulator skins that you can use for modeling your application in different screen sizes and resolutions. The emulator skins are:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA400 (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • WQVGA432 (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)

Android 2.3

Android 2.3, Revision 1 (December 2010)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r8 or higher.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes a set of emulator skins that you can use for modeling your application in different screen sizes and resolutions. The emulator skins are:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA400 (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • WQVGA432 (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)

Android 2.2

Android , Revision 3 (July 2011)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r12 or higher.

Notes:

Improvements to the platform's rendering library to support the visual layout editor in the ADT Eclipse plugin. This revision allows for more drawing features in ADT and fixes several bugs in the previous rendering library. It also unlocks several editor features that were added in ADT 12.

Android , Revision 2 (July 2010)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r6 or higher.

System Image:
  • Adds default Search Widget.
  • Includes proper provisioning for the platform's Backup Manager. For more information about how to use the Backup Manager, see Data Backup.
  • Updates the Android 2.2 system image to FRF91.

Android , Revision 1 (May 2010)

Dependencies:

Requires SDK Tools r6 or higher.

Tools:

Adds support for building with Android library projects. See SDK Tools, r6 for information.

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes a set of emulator skins that you can use for modeling your application in different screen sizes and resolutions. The emulator skins are:

  • QVGA (240x320, low density, small screen)
  • WQVGA (240x400, low density, normal screen)
  • FWQVGA (240x432, low density, normal screen)
  • HVGA (320x480, medium density, normal screen)
  • WVGA800 (480x800, high density, normal screen)
  • WVGA854 (480x854 high density, normal screen)