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Vulkan 1.1 graphics API is coming to Android P
- Changes to the Android Open Source Project show that Vulkan 1.1 is coming.
- The new update doesn’t have many user-facing features, focusing on a few under-the-hood changes.
- Mobile silicon leaders Arm and Qualcomm have already expressed support for the update.
The Vulkan graphics API has made for a rather handy addition to Android, giving mobile developers a resource-friendly, cross-platform way to develop graphics in games. In the wake of Vulkan 1.1’s launch, it’s been reported that the update is coming to Android P.
XDA-Developers spotted changes to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), confirming that Vulkan 1.1 is making its way to Android P. “The commits integrating Vulkan API 1.1 have already been merged, meaning the revision will be available presumably in the second developer preview of Android P,” the outlet noted.
As previously reported, Vulkan 1.1 brings a couple of noteworthy features, such as Protected Content. “DRM-protected content — such as video — can now be composited on the GPU without the potential to screengrab decoded frames,” Android Authority’s Robert Triggs explains. Another notable feature is Subgroup Operations, enabling better sharing between tasks running in parallel on a GPU.