diff --git a/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaAnalyticsItem.h b/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaAnalyticsItem.h
index b99cd91..2f9e7c2 100644
--- a/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaAnalyticsItem.h
+++ b/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaAnalyticsItem.h
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@
 #ifndef ANDROID_MEDIA_MEDIAANALYTICSITEM_H
 #define ANDROID_MEDIA_MEDIAANALYTICSITEM_H
 
-#include <cutils/properties.h>
 #include <string>
 #include <sys/types.h>
+
+#include <cutils/properties.h>
 #include <utils/Errors.h>
 #include <utils/KeyedVector.h>
 #include <utils/RefBase.h>
@@ -84,6 +85,10 @@
 
     public:
 
+        // so clients do not need to know size details
+        static MediaAnalyticsItem* create(Key key);
+        static MediaAnalyticsItem* create();
+
         // access functions for the class
         MediaAnalyticsItem();
         MediaAnalyticsItem(Key);
@@ -175,6 +180,9 @@
         int32_t writeToParcel(Parcel *);
         int32_t readFromParcel(const Parcel&);
 
+        // supports the stable interface
+        bool dumpAttributes(char **pbuffer, size_t *plength);
+
         std::string toString();
         std::string toString(int version);
         const char *toCString();
@@ -183,6 +191,11 @@
         // are we collecting analytics data
         static bool isEnabled();
 
+    private:
+        // handle Parcel version 0
+        int32_t writeToParcel0(Parcel *);
+        int32_t readFromParcel0(const Parcel&);
+
     protected:
 
         // merge fields from arg into this
diff --git a/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaMetrics.h b/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaMetrics.h
index 4d2f352..a4e1ed2 100644
--- a/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaMetrics.h
+++ b/media/libmediametrics/include/MediaMetrics.h
@@ -85,13 +85,9 @@
 void mediametrics_setUid(mediametrics_handle_t handle, uid_t uid);
 bool mediametrics_isEnabled();
 
-#if 0
-// do not expose this as is.
-// need to revisit (or redefine) how the android::Parcel parameter is handled
-// so that it meets the stable-API criteria for updateable components.
-//
-int32_t mediametrics_writeToParcel(mediametrics_handle_t handle, android::Parcel *parcel);
-#endif
+// serialized copy of the attributes/values, mostly for upstream getMetrics() calls
+// caller owns the buffer allocated as part of this call.
+bool mediametrics_getAttributes(mediametrics_handle_t handle, char **buffer, size_t *length);
 
 __END_DECLS