Samsung has used Vulkan as a system-level graphics API in One UI 7 (Android 15) that allows games to run efficiently on Galaxy devices. Now, Google will require a new feature called Host Image Copy, a core feature of the Vulkan 1.4 API on Android 16 devices, which reduces stuttering, load times, and memory use. This means One UI 8 (Android 16) users will be able to experience improved gaming performance.
Android 16 devices will support Host Image Copy of the Vulkan 1.4 API
Released in December 2024, Vulkan 1.4 comes with a bunch of new features for Android, including Host Image Copy, based on VK_EXT_host_image_copy. This feature can significantly improve a game on Android devices. According to Android Authority, Android 16 or later devices must support the Host Image Copy feature, as the latest version of Vulkan 1.4 makes it a core feature. The publication says some Android devices already support Host Image Copy, but it did not specify which devices.
Google introduced support for the Vulkan graphics API with the launch of Android 7.0 Nougat OS in 2016. At that time, only a small number of devices supported it, though now more than 85% of Android devices support Vulkan. Since Google has made Vulkan the official graphics API for Android, all apps must implement Vulkan to communicate with the deviceโs GPU.
Even though developers have started making their software Vulkan-ready on Android devices, there is still an inconsistency for some specific Vulkan features. To solve this, Google announced the Vulkan Profiles for Android (VPA) program last year, where Android devices must support select Vulkan features. Now that the Vulkan Profile for Android 16 (VPA16) requires Vulkan 1.4โs core feature, Host Image Copy, next-generation chipsets launching with support for Android 16 must implement this mandatory feature.
Simply put, Android 16 devices will arrive with support for Vulkan 1.4โs Host Image Copy feature, which will greatly improve the gaming experience. โHost Image Copy is a game-changer for Androidโ, said Shahbaz Youssefi, Senior Software Developer at Google working on the Vulkan backend of ANGLE. Galaxy devices could get this feature soon, as Samsung is rumored to introduce One UI 8.0 earlier than expected.
