diff --git a/api/current.txt b/api/current.txt
index 7bb4e0ef5362e..bb8bc16035b63 100644
--- a/api/current.txt
+++ b/api/current.txt
@@ -32132,6 +32132,7 @@ package android.util {
     ctor public SizeF(float, float);
     method public float getHeight();
     method public float getWidth();
+    method public static android.util.SizeF parseSizeF(java.lang.String) throws java.lang.NumberFormatException;
   }
 
   public class SparseArray implements java.lang.Cloneable {
diff --git a/core/java/android/util/SizeF.java b/core/java/android/util/SizeF.java
index ac4f18765a59b..2edc4a7ff5883 100644
--- a/core/java/android/util/SizeF.java
+++ b/core/java/android/util/SizeF.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package android.util;
 
+import static com.android.internal.util.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 import static com.android.internal.util.Preconditions.checkArgumentFinite;
 
 /**
@@ -95,6 +96,61 @@ public final class SizeF {
         return mWidth + "x" + mHeight;
     }
 
+    private static NumberFormatException invalidSizeF(String s) {
+        throw new NumberFormatException("Invalid SizeF: \"" + s + "\"");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Parses the specified string as a size value.
+     * <p>
+     * The ASCII characters {@code \}{@code u002a} ('*') and
+     * {@code \}{@code u0078} ('x') are recognized as separators between
+     * the width and height.</p>
+     * <p>
+     * For any {@code SizeF s}: {@code SizeF.parseSizeF(s.toString()).equals(s)}.
+     * However, the method also handles sizes expressed in the
+     * following forms:</p>
+     * <p>
+     * "<i>width</i>{@code x}<i>height</i>" or
+     * "<i>width</i>{@code *}<i>height</i>" {@code => new SizeF(width, height)},
+     * where <i>width</i> and <i>height</i> are string floats potentially
+     * containing a sign, such as "-10.3", "+7" or "5.2", but not containing
+     * an {@code 'x'} (such as a float in hexadecimal string format).</p>
+     *
+     * <pre>{@code
+     * SizeF.parseSizeF("3.2*+6").equals(new SizeF(3.2f, 6.0f)) == true
+     * SizeF.parseSizeF("-3x-6").equals(new SizeF(-3.0f, -6.0f)) == true
+     * SizeF.parseSizeF("4 by 3") => throws NumberFormatException
+     * }</pre>
+     *
+     * @param string the string representation of a size value.
+     * @return the size value represented by {@code string}.
+     *
+     * @throws NumberFormatException if {@code string} cannot be parsed
+     * as a size value.
+     * @throws NullPointerException if {@code string} was {@code null}
+     */
+    public static SizeF parseSizeF(String string)
+            throws NumberFormatException {
+        checkNotNull(string, "string must not be null");
+
+        int sep_ix = string.indexOf('*');
+        if (sep_ix < 0) {
+            sep_ix = string.indexOf('x');
+        }
+        if (sep_ix < 0) {
+            throw invalidSizeF(string);
+        }
+        try {
+            return new SizeF(Float.parseFloat(string.substring(0, sep_ix)),
+                    Float.parseFloat(string.substring(sep_ix + 1)));
+        } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+            throw invalidSizeF(string);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+            throw invalidSizeF(string);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      */