To ease 3D graphics application development, the SDK includes a cross-platform OS and API abstraction layer, as well as a library of helper tools for maths and resource loading. It also features optimized example applications to demonstrate the most efficient
ways of implementing common 3D graphics effects on PowerVR GPUs, and a cross-platform, cross-API framework.
Framework
The PowerVR Framework is a cross-platform and cross-API framework that acts as a scaffold for you to build your own rendering or game engine around. It features a number of modules at varying levels of abstraction, and consists of:
PVRCorePVRShellPVRAssetsPVRAPIPVRUIRendererPVRPlatformGluePVRCamera
Example Applications
The examples provided in the SDK are fully commented, highly optimized C++ applications that cover a variety of rendering techniques. They are designed in a step-by-step tutorial style to gradually guide the most inexperienced graphics
developers from a simple render of a single triangle to complex scenes that incorporate many objects, animations and shader effects.
Vulkan
Developed by leading hardware, game engine and platform vendors, the Vulkan graphics and compute API has been designed for portability across multiple platforms. The PowerVR Graphics SDK 2016 R1 was developed alongside Vulkan and as such features:
A Vulkan backend for the PowerVR Framework abstraction layerNew examples to demonstrate key Vulkan featuresVarious examples of Vulkan code
Documentation
The SDK contains a wealth of manuals, whitepapers and training materials to educate and inform developers of the most suitable rendering techniques, why they are well suited to the PowerVR architecture and how to get to grips with the utilities to leverage
their full capabilities. In addition to its inclusion to the SDK, the documentation is also hosted on the websitehere.
Supported Platforms
Supported Operating Systems
OpenGL
ES 2.0
OpenGL
ES 3.0
OpenGL
ES 3.1
iOS
7.0 or newer
Android
4.1 (Jelly Bean) and newer (ARM, X86 & MIPS)
Linux
(ARMv7, ARMv7 HF, X86 & MIPS)
Windows PC emulation
Windows 7 and newer (X86 & X64)
OS X PC Emulation
10.7 (Lion) and newer (X86 & X64)
Linux PC Emulation
(X86 & X64)