Android hardware requirements

The main hardware platform for Android is the 32-bit ARMv7 architecture. The Android-x86 project provides support for the x86 architecture,^[7] and Google TV uses a special x86 version of Android. In 2012, Intel processors began to appear on more mainstream Android platforms, such as phones.^[73] In 2013, Freescale announced support for Android on its i.MX processor, specifically the i.MX5X and i.MX6X series.^[74]
As of November 2013, current versions of Android recommend at least 512 MB of RAM^[75] (with 340 MB as a requirement^[76]), and require a 32-bit ARMv7, MIPS or x86 architecture processor (latter two through unofficial ports),^[7][77] together with an OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible graphics processing unit (GPU).^[78] Android supports OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0. Some applications explicitly require certain version of the OpenGL ES, thus suitable GPU hardware is required to run such applications.^[78]
Android devices incorporate many optional hardware components, including still or video cameras, GPS, hardware orientation sensors, dedicated gaming controls, accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, magnetometers, proximity sensors, pressure sensors, thermometers and touchscreens. Some hardware components are not required, but became standard in certain classes of devices, such as smartphones, and additional requirements apply if they are present. Some other hardware was initially required, but those requirements have been relaxed or eliminated altogether. For example, as Android was developed initially as a phone OS, hardware such as microphones were required, while over time the phone function became optional.^[59] Android used to require an autofocus camera, which was relaxed to a fixed-focus camera^[59] if it is even present at all, since the camera was dropped as a requirement entirely when Android started to be used on set-top boxes