Mobile App Testing: The Essential Guide for App Developers

Very few business ventures today can think of functioning without a mobile application. According to Transparency Market Research (TMR), the adoption of test automation will be boosted by the growth in mobile applications.

A lead TMR analyst states, “The increasing proliferation of mobile applications across multimedia travel, communications, utilities, and productivity is presently identified as a key factor fuelling test automation market. Besides these, the increasing deployment of cloud applications is also bolstering scope for the test automation market.”

Consequently, Mobile Application Testing has become a strategic aspect of every Application Development process.

Why Mobile Testing is Important

In the current application scenario, multiple new businesses operate and sustain on the basis of mobile applications – WhatsApp, SnapChat, Pokemon Go, Candy Crush, and even some mobile wallets. In fact, some e-commerce applications have tried to build a strategy by leveraging mobile applications. These applications need to be tested across various mobile devices and operating systems to confirm their compatibility. This will ultimately enable them to stay competitive and function seamlessly.

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Mobile Application Testing enables enterprises to build applications that are scalable and accessible across multiple platforms. It’s a process to build an application software by testing it for its functionality, usability, and consistency. This can be done by automation as well as with manual testing.

Mobile applications are becoming complex, and end-to-end testing is needed. Right from whether the application is downloadable effectively, works seamlessly, and gives the same kind of experience across various devices.

Benefits of Implementing the Cloud Technology

Cloud has been used extensively for application development and testing. A cloud-based mobile devices lab can be leveraged as a viable solution to provide enterprises with an effective solution for testing mobile applications. Cloud offers some great benefits for mobile application testing. Most importantly, it helps save costs related to infrastructure and boosts the quality of the application.

While leveraging a Mobile Device lab, there are some key points to consider, such as the Device Matrix and Technology, Security challenges while transferring data, and support provided for software and devices. Implementing cloud technology for testing mobile applications can bring tremendous benefits, especially in ensuring quality and getting applications faster to the market.

Utilizing the Cloud technology is business-critical for testing applications today, as testing has to be performed for scalability across various platforms, devices, and operating systems. Everything has to be taken into account to avoid any issues after the application’s launch for the consumers so as to avoid incurring costs to rectify them.

Benefits of Leveraging Mobile Simulators for Mobile App Testing

Amongst the various techniques, mobile simulators have long been leveraged for testing mobile applications. A mobile simulator is a tool/software application that is built to function just like the actual environment or the device. There are multiple benefits of leveraging simulators for testing mobile applications.

Most importantly, these simulators are easy to implement and prove to be a cost-effective option for testing mobile apps.

Most of the simulators are free to download, and there is no need to purchase any simulator online. Applications can be installed quickly on these simulators, and testing can be done effectively on multiple simulators. While doing so, the testing doesn’t get interrupted by slow network issues, and the process gets faster and better.

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Moreover, the testers can get full access to the local storage on a simulator. This enables them to understand the behavior of an application in the local storage environment. In this way, applications can be effectively tested with Mobile Simulators. It gives the ease of installation and boosts faster time-to-market.

Testing with mobile device emulators makes absolute sense when checking the basic application functionality in the feature development process. These emulators provide brilliant options for network bypass, a pseudo-live environment, and test scripting languages.

Benefits of Using Actual Devices for Mobile Testing

The core objective of testing a mobile app is to check its behavior across various devices. In light of the various limitations that simulators may have, many testing teams believe that testing on real mobile devices is much more effective. Simulators can be effective in the initial phase of testing, but testing on real devices is a much more foolproof idea. However, it is definitely an expensive option and requires serious investment.

In the current changing and rapid market scenario where products are being launched each day, it gets challenging to keep the devices up-to-date. However, if the required user experience has to be delivered and issues have to be handled way ahead, testing on the latest versions of devices is always a preferred option.

Many independent testing companies provide services of a mobile lab that can be leveraged for any testing requirements. This is a much more cost-effective way of testing applications, where enterprises need not worry about upgrading the versions and devices. The mobile labs are available anytime for testing needs. In this way, real devices can help you gauge the behavior of your business-critical applications.

Some Key Factors to Consider in Mobile Application Testing

• Selection of Mobile Devices – In a device testing approach, it is important to select the most suitable devices for testing based on the preferences of the target group and the usage patterns.
• Simulators or Real Devices – Simulators help provide a real environment for testing, and devices help hard-test the applications.
• Cloud Testing – By leveraging the cloud, you are in a better position to reach the market and bring down the testing costs.
• Network – It is important to test the applications under varying network conditions to make them functional across challenging network scenarios.
• Performance – Automated testing can be implemented to check the performance of an application and verify its behavior by applying load/stress.
• Manual/Automated – Both types of testing are essential to test mobile apps and check them for any failure routes or bugs.

Cigniti offers mobile testing services for both functional and non-functional testing of mobile applications. 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 build applications that work flawlessly across devices and operating systems to offer seamless customer experience.