You’ve created a mobile app. And so, what now?
Over the past ten years, mobile devices have transformed into an indispensable form of communication.
The ubiquitous availability and convenience of mobile devices have resulted in the relentless growth of mobile app development. Therefore, the market for mobile apps is now among the most rapidly growing sectors. For every conceivable use case, there is a matching tool or app.
All of these factors have heightened the relevance of testing mobile apps. Today, it is essential that you have an app that works seamlessly and is superior to rival applications. This can only be accomplished through testing.
Understanding Mobile App Testing
As the name indicates, mobile app testing is the process of verifying an Android or iOS mobile application’s usability and functionality before its public release. The purpose of testing mobile applications is to confirm that the app meets the projected business and technological specifications.
Every day, people use mobile apps in a variety of scenarios, such as banking, contemporary vehicles, and games, or in smart refrigerators. Yet, most users have faced a very common and annoying situation — the app didn’t work when it needed the most.
If mobile apps aren’t rigorously tested, there is a major possibility that consumers will encounter serious bugs on their devices, which can result in a negative user experience, especially among new users. Any unexpected app breakdown or functionality defect could result in the app’s immediate uninstallation. Severe bugs may even lead to sensitive data loss, which can result in fines and penalties.
7 Elements to Test Before Deploying Your Mobile Application
The mobile app testing process is slightly different from testing a web app or a desktop app. Testers have to check the following key elements before the app is ready for deployment:
1. Functioning in different software environments
Your consumers will mostly install the app or work on different browsers and operating systems (like iOS and Android). Establish the necessary configurations and use the test strategy to figure out which tests should be executed first.
Software configuration testing usually takes place at the time of the AUT (application under test) phase. The mobile app must be tested across various OS versions, firmware upgrades, etc.
2. Functioning in different hardware environments
Hardware testing checks internal processors, core hardware, screen dimensions, resolution, capacity or memory, the camera, radio, WI-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, etc. There are scores of unique mobile devices, and end users will run your app on almost all of them. So, it is vital to check this element before launching the application.
3. Working under different network conditions
The network has a major impact on app behavior, and every mobile app behaves uniquely across different network environments. Multiple factors define networks, like physical barriers, network spectrum, separation between devices, radio interference, network usage, or traffic, among others.
When testing applications, network latency should be taken into consideration.
Before being made available to the public, mobile apps have to undergo a range of evaluations on multiple networks, under various conditions. Remember that bandwidth and data capacities may influence the speed of page loading, which will ultimately affect user retention.
4. Performance on real devices and not just emulators
Your clients or consumers will use these applications on real devices, such as tablets and smartphones, and not on emulators. It is simple to evaluate the efficacy and general user experience of an app when tested on actual hardware. Emulators can carry out limited tests. Real devices can be deployed to test each and every function, like camera evaluations, geolocation abilities, biometric sensors, and more. However, there may be an additional cost involved.
5. Performance under difficult or strenuous conditions
You must evaluate the app’s usability, security, and resource utilization under different conditions and challenges. This comprises:
- Load testing: The application’s response time to various kinds of requests
- Stress testing: The application’s functional capacity at above average demand, several times over
- Stability testing: Longevity of the app under normal operating conditions
- Concurrency testing: The number of concurrent users who can run an application
6. The security level of the mobile app
The safety aspects of the app should also be evaluated before launch. Assess the dangers posed by viruses, hackers, or unauthorized access to private data. Ensure that all user information (logins, passwords, credit card details) is secure from mechanized attacks on the network. Confirm that the app’s security system is protected by a robust password.
7. The app’s ability to recover after failure
An excellent mobile app must be ready to withstand and recover from defects resulting from software glitches, hardware malfunctions, or communication issues. Verify the app’s ability to recover from unforeseen crisis situations, transaction delays, or potential data loss.
Conclusion
This list is by no means exhaustive. Launching a fully functional, large bug-free, and sticky app can be difficult, which is why you need to test continuously – even after deployment.
The primary elements we’ve highlighted are critical for a smooth app launch. To make these parts work in your development and testing, establish a strong team and, if necessary, seek assistance from a software testing services company.
Ask users for feedback and roll out timely upgrades. With time, you will learn to test for local/cultural user expectations, working in newer OSs, and more.
