Sony Rolls Out Illumination Bar API

Sony Mobile has reportedly opened up their API (Application Programming Interface) for the illumination bar which is a feature that can be found in a number of Sony Xperia devices released to date. This is still in the experimental stage according to Sony, but at the very least, developers will now have the chance to make use of the bar’s functionality in apps as well as custom ROMs, if they so desire. Unfortunately, one should be made aware that Sony will not be providing any kind of support for the API, and it will arrive with limited documentation, which hopefully, will be expanded in due time.

Other than that, Sony is also mulling over plans to roll out other “experimental API’s” should they feel as though the community has shared enough of their demands for such. Needless to say, future APIs that fall under this badge will not be accompanied by full documentation or support, but it will be targeted to those niche developers who prefer to play around with some features found on Sony devices. The API will let the illumination bar change its color, the frequency of pulses, and indulge in some pre-defined fading patterns. As for the compatible handsets that support the Illumination bar API fully, they are the Xperia SP, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia UL, and Xperia A.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: api, Sony