19. Using Android’s Optional Hardware APIs

The Android Software Development Kit (SDK) provides a variety of application programming interfaces (APIs) for accessing low-level hardware features on the handset. In addition to the camera, Android devices might have a number of other sensors and hardware. Some popular device sensors include the magnetic and orientation sensors, light and temperature sensors, as well as hardware support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios. Applications can also access battery state information. In this chapter, you explore the optional hardware APIs provided as part of the Android SDK.

Interacting with Device Hardware

The Android platform allows unprecedented access to the device’s underlying hardware in a secure and ...

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