Observable stream switcher

StreamSwitcher.java

/**
 * Abstraction over {@link Observable#switchOnNext(Observable)}, allowing an Observable to publish
 * results from multiple streams  that may be switched over time, for example from an event source
 * that may change.
 * 
 * https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21836818/subscribing-to-a-future-observable/21839376#21839376
 */
public final class StreamSwitcher<T> {
  Subject<Observable<T>, Observable<T>> publisher;
  Observable<T> stream;

  public static <T> StreamSwitcher<T> createBehaviorStreamSwitcher() {
    return new StreamSwitcher<>(BehaviorSubject.<T>create());
  }

  public static <T> StreamSwitcher<T> createPublishStreamSwitcher() {
    return new StreamSwitcher<>(PublishSubject.<T>create());
  }

  private StreamSwitcher(Subject subject) {
    publisher = subject;
    stream = Observable.switchOnNext(publisher);
  }

  /**
   * @return the Observable to subscribe to.
   */
  public Observable<T> getStream() {
    return stream;
  }

  /**
   * @param newStream the new underlying Observable to stream from.
   */
  public void switchStream(Observable<T> newStream) {
    publisher.onNext(newStream);
  }

  /**
   * Suspends the Observable. No further items will be emitted until a the next call to
   * {@link #switchStream(Observable)}.
   */
  public void suspendStream() {
    publisher.onNext(Observable.<T>never());
  }

  /**
   * Stops the stream. No items will be emitted after this call, and calls to {@link
   * #switchStream(Observable)} will have no effect.
   */
  public void stopStream() {
    publisher.onNext(Observable.<T>empty());
    publisher.onCompleted();
  }
}