Mediatek seems motivated in getting involved with maker and open source communities. Thanks to its works on Android One with Google, the company recently released the Linux kernel source for MT6582 processor, and with a separate endeavour, launched Mediatek Labs bringing LinkIt ONE platform for IoT and wearables to market, as well as a preview release of an Android SDK for its mobile processors.
Features of the SDK includes:
- Set of libraries for MediaTek feature APIs with full API documentation.
- x86 MediaTek emulator based on a reference implementation of an Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) device powered by a MediaTek chip, adding capabilities to test and debug telephony and multi-SIM features, a vibrator indicator and a hot-swappable SD card.
- Customized version of the DDMS (Dalvik Debug Monitor Server), which adds support for testing telephony features, such as plugging and unplugging a headset, sending telephony commands to test call and SMS features, etc…
You can download the Android SDK after registration, on Mediatek Labs’ Android SDK page.
The SDK contains two zipped files:
- mediatek_android_sdk_api-19.3.1.zip including several folders:
- emulator – Linux and Windows executables.
- images – Images needed by emulator.
- libs – API libraries.
- samples – API sample applications.
- skins – 720p / 1080p skin for emulator.
- doc – SDK documentation
- mediatek_android_sdk_tools-19.3.2.1.zip with two folders:
- ddms-linux-x86_64 – MediaTek customized DDMS (Linux version)
- ddms-win – MediaTek customized DDMS (Windows version)
The current APIs have three levels, and allow app developer to access:
- Multi-SIM Telephony
- Audio / Video
- Camera MAV (Multiple Angle View) to create 3D and other effects
- HotKnot (Mediatek’s alternative to NFC)
- Portrait Enhancements using features such as skin smoothing and eye enlargement
- Image Transformation such as flip, rotate, and sharpen (hardware accelerated)
- Gesture, for instance, detection of open palm and victory (V) hand gestures
- API Level Version Check
You can also consult the API documentation online, and to get started download MediaTek SDK for Android Developer’s Guide. Although many of the API features can be tested on the emulator, you’ll probably want to do some testing on actual phones, and Mediatek will soon provide a list of reference Android phones.
If you happen to live in the United Kingdom, Mediatek will showcase both LinkIt platform and their Android SDK in Manchester at XDA:devcon on September 26-28, 2014.
Via Steve Jones
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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If this SDK works for all Mediatek SoC then maybe we will see official XBMC / Kodi support soon?
Are there any cheap media players / set-top boxes available?
@Harley
I think the audio/video part is mostly for the camera, and there might not be any audio/video playback interface in that SDK (TBC).
Never seen Mediatek media players before.
Mstar merged with Mediatek, so any Mstar based media player is basicly Mediatek.
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
Has anything more been released? Or are we still dealing with just this one open mediatek CPU/SDK?
@Jacob Gadikian
There’s LinkIt ONE, and source code for Android One phones too.