Samsung Launches Sokatoa to Boost Android Graphics Optimization

If you are an Android developer, you may have often struggled with stuttering graphics in your apps or games. Samsung now makes this easier with a new multi-frame GPU profiling tool called Sokatoa. The tool lets you identify and fix complex graphics performance issues with greater precision.

Sokatoa offers multi-frame GPU profiling for Android apps

Developed by Samsung Austin Research and Development Center (SARC) and Advanced Computing Lab (ACL), Sokatoa offers insights into the GPU’s role in apps. This makes it easier for developers to detect and fix performance problems. The company optimized the tool specifically for Android game developers, though it is also useful for graphics-intensive mobile applications.

Samsung Semiconductor, Google, and LunarG also played a key role in developing Sokatoa. This allowed the tool to play nicely with modern Android and Vulkan workflows. The tool not only works with Samsung’s Xclipse GPU but also supports other leading GPUs on Android devices.

Sokatoa features multi-frame GPU profiling, allowing developers to analyze multiple frames together. As such, they can uncover intermittent and frame-to-frame performance issues. This offers a clearer picture of rendering performance, allowing them to optimize frame rates.

Furthermore, Sokatoa lets developers modify shaders directly, replay workloads on a device, and instantly compare outcomes. This greatly shortens the optimize-test-iterate cycle, making graphics optimization faster. GPU vendors, third-party tool developers, and studios can also build custom extensions for Sokatoa.

The good thing is that you can download and use Sokatoa for free. The company plans to make the tool open source later this year. Early access partners found that the tool offers deeper GPU visibility, faster iteration, and greater confidence.

“Our new GPU profiler for Android with multi-frame support gives graphics developers the tools they have been lacking to identify and resolve rendering bottlenecks more efficiently, leading to smoother, more stable and visually stunning Android experiences on Samsung, Qualcomm and ARM GPUs,” said Taekhyun Kim, Vice President of GPU Software Development at SARC/ACL.