diff --git a/libutils/include/utils/String16.h b/libutils/include/utils/String16.h
index d719aeaaa..b48b90765 100644
--- a/libutils/include/utils/String16.h
+++ b/libutils/include/utils/String16.h
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ private:
     static inline std::string   std_string(const String16& str);
 public:
             size_t              size() const;
+    inline  bool                empty() const;
+
+    inline  size_t              length() const;
+
             void                setTo(const String16& other);
             status_t            setTo(const char16_t* other);
             status_t            setTo(const char16_t* other, size_t len);
@@ -250,6 +254,16 @@ inline std::string String16::std_string(const String16& str)
     return std::string(String8(str).c_str());
 }
 
+inline bool String16::empty() const
+{
+    return length() == 0;
+}
+
+inline size_t String16::length() const
+{
+    return size();
+}
+
 inline String16& String16::operator=(const String16& other)
 {
     setTo(other);
diff --git a/libutils/include/utils/String8.h b/libutils/include/utils/String8.h
index ace0243f3..10eef06cd 100644
--- a/libutils/include/utils/String8.h
+++ b/libutils/include/utils/String8.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ public:
 
     inline  size_t              size() const;
     inline  size_t              bytes() const;
+    inline  bool                empty() const;
     inline  bool                isEmpty() const;
 
             size_t              length() const;
@@ -257,6 +258,11 @@ inline size_t String8::size() const
     return length();
 }
 
+inline bool String8::empty() const
+{
+    return length() == 0;
+}
+
 inline bool String8::isEmpty() const
 {
     return length() == 0;