Tablet or Phone - Android

Question

Is there a way to check if the user is using a tablet or a phone? I've got problems with my tilt function and my new tablet (Transformer)

Answer 1

Well, the best solution that worked for me is quite simple:

private boolean isTabletDevice(Resources resources) {   
    int screenLayout = resources.getConfiguration().screenLayout & Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK;
    boolean isScreenLarge = (screenLayout == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE);
    boolean isScreenXlarge = (screenLayout == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE);
    return (isScreenLarge || isScreenXlarge);
}

Used like this:

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    [...]
    if (this.isTabletDevice(this.getResources()) == true) {
        [...]
    }
}

I really don't want to look at the pixels sizes but only rely on the screen size.

Works well as Nexus 7 (LARGE) is detected as a tablet, but not Galaxy S3 (NORMAL).

Answer 2

Based on Robert Dale Johnson III and Helton Isac I came up with this code Hope this is useful

public static boolean isTablet(Context context) {
    TelephonyManager manager = 
        (TelephonyManager)context.getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
    if (manager.getPhoneType() == TelephonyManager.PHONE_TYPE_NONE) {
        //Tablet
        return true;
    } else {
        //Mobile
        return false; 
    }
}

public static boolean isTabletDevice(Context activityContext) {
    // Verifies if the Generalized Size of the device is XLARGE to be
    // considered a Tablet
    boolean xlarge = 
         ((activityContext.getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout & 
           Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE);

    // If XLarge, checks if the Generalized Density is at least MDPI (160dpi)
    if (xlarge) {
        DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
        Activity activity = (Activity) activityContext;
        activity.getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(metrics);

        // MDPI=160, DEFAULT=160, DENSITY_HIGH=240, DENSITY_MEDIUM=160,
        // DENSITY_TV=213, DENSITY_XHIGH=320
        if (metrics.densityDpi == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_DEFAULT
                  || metrics.densityDpi == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_HIGH
                  || metrics.densityDpi == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_MEDIUM   
                  || metrics.densityDpi == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XHIGH) {

             // Yes, this is a tablet!
             return true;
        }
    }

    // No, this is not a tablet!
    return false;
}

So in your code make a filter like

if(isTabletDevice(Utilities.this) && isTablet(Utilities.this)){
    //Tablet
} else {
    //Phone
}

Answer 3

If screen size detection doesn't return correct value on newer devices, give a try:

/*
 Returns '1' if device is a tablet
 or '0' if device is not a tablet.
 Returns '-1' if an error occured.
 May require READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
 permission.
 */
public static int isTablet()
{
    try
    {
        InputStream ism = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("getprop ro.build.characteristics").getInputStream();
        byte[] bts = new byte[1024];
        ism.read(bts);
        ism.close();

        boolean isTablet = new String(bts).toLowerCase().contains("tablet");
        return isTablet ? 1 : 0;
    }
    catch (Throwable t)
    {t.printStackTrace(); return -1;}
}

Tested on Android 4.2.2 (sorry for my English.)

Answer 4

why use this?

Use this method which returns true when the device is a tablet

public boolean isTablet(Context context) {  
return (context.getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout   
    & Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK)    
    >= Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE; 
}

i see many ways above.the Configuration class has get the right answer just below:

    /**
 * Check if the Configuration's current {@link #screenLayout} is at
 * least the given size.
 *
 * @param size The desired size, either {@link #SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL},
 * {@link #SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL}, {@link #SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE}, or
 * {@link #SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE}.
 * @return Returns true if the current screen layout size is at least
 * the given size.
 */
public boolean isLayoutSizeAtLeast(int size) {
    int cur = screenLayout&SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK;
    if (cur == SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_UNDEFINED) return false;
    return cur >= size;
}

just call :

 getResources().getConfiguration().
 isLayoutSizeAtLeast(Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE);

it's ok?

Answer 5

Why not calculate the size of the screen diagonal and use that to make the decision whether the device is a phone or tablet?

private boolean isTablet()
{
    Display display = getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay();
    DisplayMetrics displayMetrics = new DisplayMetrics();
    display.getMetrics(displayMetrics);

    int width = displayMetrics.widthPixels / displayMetrics.densityDpi;
    int height = displayMetrics.heightPixels / displayMetrics.densityDpi;

    double screenDiagonal = Math.sqrt( width * width + height * height );
    return (screenDiagonal >= 9.0 );
}

Of course one can argue whether the threshold should be 9 inches or less.

Answer 6

Thinking on the "new" acepted directories (values-sw600dp for example) i created this method based on the screen' width DP:

 public static final int TABLET_MIN_DP_WEIGHT = 450;
 protected static boolean isSmartphoneOrTablet(Activity act){
    DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
    act.getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(metrics);

    int dpi = 0;
    if (metrics.widthPixels < metrics.heightPixels){
        dpi = (int) (metrics.widthPixels / metrics.density);
    }
    else{
        dpi = (int) (metrics.heightPixels / metrics.density);
    }

    if (dpi < TABLET_MIN_DP_WEIGHT)         return true;
    else                                    return false;
}

And on this list you can find some of the DP of popular devices and tablet sizes:

Wdp / Hdp

GALAXY Nexus: 360 / 567
XOOM: 1280 / 752
GALAXY NOTE: 400 / 615
NEXUS 7: 961 / 528
GALAXY TAB (>7 && <10): 1280 / 752
GALAXY S3: 360 / 615

Wdp = Width dp
Hdp = Height dp