Implementing the Right Mobile Application Testing Strategy

The smartphone revolution has brought businesses unprecedented access to their consumer base through the mobile app market. Consumer apps still dominate the mobile app Eco-system, but organizations are slowly stepping in as well. Businesses ranging from large corporations to neighborhood grocery stores, from helping people manage their finances and doing their banking to providing parents with easier access to monitor their child’s progress in school.

Mobile apps, though primarily built to be used on mobile devices, can also be accessed on other platforms. This cross-platform accessibility and subsequent ease of use has also been a key factor in its explosive growth. It is safe to assume that mobile apps are an essential part of a new-age modern society. With the vast number of apps in existence today, the average user has the benefit of being able to pick an app for his needs from a huge selection of apps with similarly styled features and functions. If the user encounters problems while using the app, he is extremely likely to immediately replace it with another and also give it a negative review, further affecting the given app’s image.

Therefore, in the extremely competitive world of mobile apps, enterprises seek to release apps that function well on different devices, internal hardware configurations, resolutions, operating systems, and across different mobile networks. Therefore testing an app during its development cycle is absolutely essential to its success.

Since a single ideal testing procedure doesn’t exist, as each unique testing method has its own limitations in terms of costs, testing quality, and overall time taken. It has invariably become important to adopt a testing strategy that involves many different testing methods.

A brief overview of Mobile app testing methods

1. Using Emulators:

With the number of available mobile devices ranging in the thousands, a number further multiplied when different internal configuration for the same model are taken into account, it is extremely difficult and time consuming for testing to be done on every type of device. Emulators allow testers to mimic different devices in the same virtual test environment, thereby substantially reducing expenses, improving efficiency, and saving time. They are crucial for testing basic application functionality, and also during feature development. Emulators can be configured to provide options for different networks as well. When deciding on an emulator for testing, one must ensure that they provide the instrumentation and network options to be as flexible as you like.

It is to be noted that though the use of an emulator has great benefits, it doesn’t mean that testing on actual physical devices can be skipped entirely. Physical devices are still essential to understand application behavior in real life scenarios; for example, to assess application behavior during phone calls, messages, low battery notifications, etc.

2. Automated Testing:

Automated scripts are essential to speed up the testing process, especially when it comes to successful regression testing during the development stages. Any testing platform [Emulator, remote solutions] that supports script and playback options helps save time by allowing more test cases to be performed on a consistent basis. Automated testing is ideal for use when the mobile app is growing, and with frequent regression tests during a long development cycle. It also helps if a significant portion of the tests have obtainable functionality test cases.

3. Cloud testing:

Cloud testing comes into play when the required device is unavailable. It allows you to have a web-based testing environment where apps can be thoroughly tested, and also enables access to remote real devices at any time.

The success of an app is determined greatly by smooth functionality on the day of its release. Testing is critical in ensuring the best quality product reaches the end consumer. Therefore, employing a testing strategy that involves emulators, real devices, and other mobile testing platforms can guarantee a successful launch.

Cigniti’s state-of-the-art mobile test lab uses the latest and best in mobile testing to bring you better quality and quicker time-to-market. Reach out to us today and we will be happy to help you with right mobile app testing strategy.