The Media Quality framework is being introduced in Android 16 for Android TV with the objective of establishing a standardized API for Picture Quality (PQ) and Audio Quality (AQ) adjustments. The primary goal is to provide a unified approach to these adjustments across different Android TV devices. This standardized framework aims to simplify development for app developers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and system-on-chip (SoC) vendors by offering a consistent set of Android APIs. For SoC vendors specifically, it allows the Android framework to handle PQ and AQ configuration, reducing the overhead of collaborating with different application developers.
Ultimately, for Google and Android platform, it helps reduce fragmentation, improve quality and scalability, provide new features, and lay the foundation for a Unified AQ/PQ UI and improved user experience.
The Media Quality framework supports various use cases to enhance the TV-watching experience. It is worth noting that profiles and settings can be managed per package name (app), and per input ID. Additionally, profiles can be created by system apps, or by other apps that are in the allowlist. Profiles can be updated or removed only by the owner of the profiles. Specifically, the framework manages Picture and Sound Profiles. Examples of picture parameters include brightness, contrast, sharpness. Examples of sound parameters include bass and treble. These profiles can be applied in various contexts, including setting global default profiles, streaming profiles via MediaCodec, setting app default profiles for specific media apps, and setting TV input picture profiles for specific inputs like HDMI. The framework also supports status changes, allowing different parameter sets for states like HDR, managing active picture profiles for ongoing processing, and handling ambient backlight features.
The Android team is working with our ecosystem partners to support Media Quality framework.