Do you remember your first mobile phone? It may have been an old-school flip phone or one of those that had the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The world’s first modern smartphone was launched in 1994 in the US and was called IBM Simon. It is estimated that around 30,000 people owned a smartphone back then; today about half of the world’s population owns a smartphone, according to Strategy Analytics.
The sharp increase in mobile usage means consumers are demanding a reliable experience with the applications across their many devices. To deliver high-quality mobile applications, development and testing teams must contend with near-endless scenarios in a very fragmented environment — from new OS to old OS versions and modern devices to ones that look a bit ancient.
Testing a mobile application has similar goals as all other app testing — ensuring the application software for quality, functionality, performance and usability. But that’s where the similarities end. Mobile testing brings its own set of challenges for achieving these goals. Here are some of the common problems mobile testing teams face and the best practices that can be implemented to address them.
Device sprawl widens the test scope
You have your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and maybe a vintage iPod still lying around. All those devices have various versions, with new ones being released constantly. And that’s just iOS — you then have to consider all of the various Android versions.
The point is that the world is full of numerous types of mobile devices, all with their own operating systems, versions, updates, and other distinctive permutations. If mobile testing teams were to test all the available devices, they’d be working 24/7 all year long!
Mobile testing teams need a more straightforward device management approach that works for multiple devices and different mobile operating systems and versions. Using a mobile test automation platform cuts down on the manual testing many teams rely upon to test multiple mobile devices.
Frequent changes create broad testing needs across multiple frameworks
There are copious amounts of changes that need to be made across multiple frameworks when conducting mobile testing. Depending on the organization and the skill sets of its mobile development testing teams, they may be using one or a combination of frameworks. The most popular framework is Appium, and others are Espresso and XCTest.
Making changes to scripts and maintaining standards across current and emerging frameworks is time-consuming and inefficient for testing mobile applications. Teams should consider a no-/low-code testing solution that lets them create mobile tests in the same way that you create UI and API tests — just drag and drop, AI-powered recordings with no complex setup or scripting required.
Ensure localization and internationalization testing aligns with global market needs
We live on a complex planet composed of nearly 200 countries, around 6,500 languages, and an estimated 3,800 different cultures. What works for an application in one area of the world will most likely not work in another.
Many teams err in conducting their localization and internationalization testing towards the end of the testing process. However, it should be at the forefront and align with your organization’s goals and strategies for the app. Who is the user? Where are they predominantly located? What language do they use?
Preparing an app for release on the global market is not a one-size-fits-all. You can’t just translate the language from one to the next or switch it left-to-right, right-to-left, and top-to-bottom. Some of the most significant items that should be tested for localization and internationalization include time zone, time formats, date formats, keyboard layouts, address formats, telephone formats, weights & measures and currencies.
Lack of real devices for CI/CD causes bottlenecks
Let’s get real about real devices. Like trying to find a four-leaf clover, actual devices are a rarity for testing teams. And if you do get your hands on a real device, it may not be functioning properly, the exact model, or have the operating system you need.
The limited availability of real devices hinders teams’ ability to conduct consistent and continuous test automation for CI/CD. Without powerful and flexible app testing options, testing is slowed down and results in bottlenecks.
Purchasing every single device on the market isn’t feasible or an economical option. Testers should try speeding up testing by using real devices, emulators, and simulators. These three methods used in tandem, along with device farms, allow you to get the best coverage across mobile devices. By testing the SUT with emulators and simulators, developers can deploy their apps in the early stages of development and examine the look and feel of the tested mobile app while real devices enable accurate results based on real user and device conditions.
Realizing the importance of usability testing
Users will continue to use an app only if it proves to be functional, efficient, and there are no performance issues. According to Google research, only 9% of users will stay on a mobile site or app if it doesn’t satisfy their needs. In fact, 66% of consumers will take actions that have some negative impact, such as immediately going to another company’s mobile site or app for what they need (40%) or be less likely to purchase products from the company in the future (28%).
These red flags validate the need for mobile usability testing. Design and testing teams are often consumed with other areas of mobile testing they perceive as more crucial and pay less attention to usability testing. Apps have to be able to adapt to fulfill users’ needs, from text sizes and ergonomics to fast loading times and power usage.
Teams should test how real customers interact with the mobile app to remove issues before it hits the market. One area testers should focus on is screen size. Mobile devices have small screens that need to fit a lot of information while maintaining a clear and concise interface.
Testers should observe how the customer interacts with the app’s elements. Are the app’s frequently used sections easily accessible? Does the user hold the phone close or far away to view the text and graphics? Is the user more likely to hold the mobile device vertically or horizontally? All of these questions will give you helpful insights into your app’s ability to win over customers.
Eliminate mobile testing constraints
Although these challenges may be unique to mobile testing, they still resonate with the wider goal of testing teams: to deliver the best quality product to the end user. At their foundation, the best practices outlined above all aim to accelerate releases while eliminating errors and reducing costs so organizations can rapidly scale their mobile testing efforts.
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