Java 7 support was added at build tools 19. You can now use features like the diamond operator, multi-catch, try-with-resources, strings in switches, etc. Add the following to your build.gradle.
android {
compileSdkVersion 19
buildToolsVersion "19.0.0"
defaultConfig {
minSdkVersion 7
targetSdkVersion 19
}
compileOptions {
sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
}
}
Gradle 1.7+, Android gradle plugin 0.6.+ are required.
Note, that only try with resources require minSdkVersion 19. Other features works on previous platforms.