Key Benefits of Cloud Enabled Mobile Device Lab for Application Testing

The year 2016 has been bit of a shocker for Samsung, the South Korean handset manufacturer. According to recent news reports, Samsung has planned to conduct random X-rays and charging tests to investigate why its Galaxy Note7 phone batteries exploded and caught fire as well. This leaves an unescapable need for Mobile testing – both for Mobile device testing as well as Mobile Application Testing.

Mobile handset companies and application developers definitely take testing seriously and consider it business-critical. Koh Dong-jin, President of Samsung Electronics’ mobile communications business, recently announced that the company has built a large-scale testing facility, where about 700 Samsung researchers and engineers have tested more than 200,000 fully-assembled Note7s and over 30,000 batteries.

Considering the challenges and needs of the digital landscape, businesses are increasingly inclining towards Cloud-based/Cloud-enabled mobile device testing. It is a proven mechanism and by far the best way to test mobile apps. Mobile application testing is critical and plays a big role in terms of building business viability. A cloud-based mobile app testing approach is a lucrative solution for enterprises and businesses.

Cloud-based mobile app testing approach offers web-based access to a wide pool of actual handsets and devices that are connected to LIVE networks distributed globally. This provides enterprises with complete control of manual and automated tests for mobile apps.

Mobile application testing cannot be confined to just a few handsets or formats. With the recent surge in mobility services and users, there is a serious need to test better and across a vast range of devices. Specifically, the current digital landscape makes everything tricky.

There is spectacular surge in the smartphone market that is mainly driving the growth statistics. The ongoing transition from feature phones to smartphones is particularly boosting the Android’s global market share, which Gartner pegs at 86.2% in Q2 in its latest mobile market figures.

According to a recent Gartner report, Global sales of smartphones to end users totaled 344 million units in the second quarter of 2016, a 4.3 percent increase over the same period in 2015, according to Gartner, Inc.

Yes, there is a need for robust testing and building a secure and enhanced interface for the end user.

The need and scope for Mobile Cloud computing is expanding. While we say so, it is important to conceptualize its benefits for your business before considering it. The use of cloud-based devices has particularly grown during the last few years and there have been various deployment solutions for every kind of business.

These options provide flexibility to control device access, and initiate a number of unmetered tests on the devices. The deployment model depends on how many devices are used during testing, time span for using them, and many more decisions that could be specific to the needs of the enterprise and its mobile app testing checklist.

But the underlying reason prevails, why do you consider this approach and how it can enable your mobile application in the current volatile digital space?

User experience is at the core

Digital Transformation is all about giving the right experience to your clients. Your mobile application provides a gateway to your business. If your application has bugs and is non-responsive to every device, customers would get repelled and it will eventually lead to negative reviews.

Cloud-based application testing provides a common platform to test your application across devices, operating systems, and real network conditions. The key is high quality, performance, accessibility, and security of the application.

Collaboration and Continuous Testing

Agile and DevOps testing approach is influencing the software development scenario. Continuous testing is necessary to build applications and make them ready for the marketplace. Additionally, teams are distributed globally and there is need for commonly accessible infrastructure.

The cloud-based test management platform facilitates testing across time zones, specifically for teams that are distributed globally. The facility enables any team member to log in from anywhere and access the mobile device lab for testing. There is a common central repository that helps track the test efforts in real-time, making it easy to share data and communicate.

24*7 facility

With cloud-based device facility, there are no time and resource restrictions. The lab is accessible all the time. It is a facility where a central server connects to a series of machines located globally. Every device can be accessed by anyone who connects to the server.

For instance, a tester can connect to the cloud and choose the device that he wants for testing his application, across different time zones. It can start with European testers, move on to American testers and culminate with Indian testing team. This sets a 24 hour mobile testing process.

Centralized Device Management and Mobile DevOps

In a mobile device lab scenario, a number of devices need to run simultaneously. Real time device testing is key in a Mobile DevOps set-up, where there are no jams, bottlenecks, or testing failures. The tests can be automated across devices, where testing and development can happen together.

In a way, centralized Device Cloud complements the Mobile DevOps process and makes Continuous Testing possible.

More test scenarios in the same span

Can you measure the number of mobile handset models in the market? There are approximately over 20,000 device models with about 27 different types of operating systems. In such a setting, there could be lakhs of scenarios to test your application. Cloud Testing helps you to expand the number of situations and cover the same in a similar time span.

Cloud-based Testing compatible for Agile

Agile development encourages cross-functional teams and involves team members across all sections of the development process. Testing is required at every stage of the cycle. Cloud-based testing helps boost this idea, as the testing facility is accessible all the time and every activity gets recorded.

Boosts Efficiency by prioritizing device selection

A centralized lab of devices helps the project manager or the enterprise to assign and reassign devices for testing. Prioritizing depends on various factors – urgency of the project, a performance issue, or a popular bug. In a cloud set-up, the choice can be made without added investments and without wasting time.

How to choose the best Mobile Testing Solution?

Selecting a Mobile Testing solution depends entirely on the budgets and the objectives of the project. It depends on the segmentation of the user and the market that the application caters to. In this context, infrastructure is key and determines the adoption of a physically set-up private testing lab or an outsourced cloud-based mobile testing lab.

Cigniti’s Mobile Testing CoE provides access to a wide range of testing services, tools, and mobile device lab. We hold experience in providing a host of tests for Mobile devices such as Interruption, Memory, Accessories, Performance, User Interface, Compatibility, Network Type, Installation, Upgrade, Drive, Battery, Performance, Functional Testing, Carrier Testing, and Geo-Fence.

Connect with us to devise a strategy to build robust applications that are digitally ready.