How To Test a Mobile App

So you have developed a mobile application and you think its ready for release. You will have probably tested it on an emulator of some kind and possibly a browser or two, and so now you think its time to release it. Before this is done lets consider what state the mobile App is in. The mobile App only ‘appears’ to function correctly at this stage, which to all intensive purposes is a good thing right? but an emulator really only shows you how a real device ‘should’ work when used with your mobile application, it is certainly no guarantee. A web browser can certainly show you what your mobile App will look like on a real device, but there are many factors it cannot show you, for example; the touch screen functionality, CPU difference, memory usage and many more very important areas of functionality. It only takes a slight a small difference in what is ‘expected’ behavior to what is ‘actual’ behavior on a real device.

So once the decision is made to test on a real device, there are some important things to consider:

Which mobile devices do I need?

Lets for example use the most popular for of a mobile application, the iPhone. There is an ever-growing range of Apple devices that fit into this category.  In addition, there are multiple operating system versions associated with each device. This at first presents a dilemma,  but we can rule out older hardware and firmware(operating systems), why is this? well, 99% of users will upgrade to the latest firmware whenever possible to take advantage of bug fixes and new enhanced functionality. Again, you can rule out older versions of hardware, particularly if it is several years old and no longer supports the latest firmware available. Most users of these types of devices will upgrade when their device ‘appears’ out of date. In short, aim to test on the latest hardware and firmware, this in effect gives you a longer period of mobile App longevity.

I can’t afford to buy real devices, what do I do?

Most carriers will offer you the mobile device cheaply if you sign a lengthy contract. This is not really a viable option if you just want to test with it. Most devices can also be bought without a contract, but for an expensive price. Again, this can be expensive, especially using our example of an iPhone App. The most cost-effective testing solution is to use an iPhone App testing company to do it for you. They have already made the expensive investment in purchasing the hardware so you don’t have to. A good iPhone App testing company should offer you bundles for testing on multiple devices too.

Should I get a professional App test before release?

As the developer, you are essentially just one set of eyes. It is very important to get a new App tested to some level before its release, as once its out there you can’t do anything about it, until its too late, i.e. you are receiving negative feedback and decreasing sales. You don’t have to hire professional App testers to do the testing, you can get colleagues or friends to help you out. This should at least get some other sets of eyes looking at your App. The advantage of using a professional App testing service however, is they will have experience of a variety of software testing techniques, such as Usability, Functional, Performance testing etc. on many other Apps previously. Their software testers will know where to look for defects within your App and will provide you with an all important degree of confidence which you will only get with a professional App tester.

Which carriers/network providers should I use?

Depending on the country where the software testing is carried out, there will be a limit to which providers can be used. To be honest though, as long as the testing takes into account network specific testing, then the carrier should not matter at all. For example, an App tester will typically test on good, medium and poor signal strengths to test the behavior of your App under these conditions. So, as long as these tests are carried out not only on a wi-fi network but also on a 3G or 4G carrier providers network, then it really doesn’t matter.

So to summarize then, you necessarily have to pay out a fortune in order to achieve a level of mobile application testing. With some forethought, you can effectively reduce the amount of real devices you need to test on. You can don’t have to pay a fortune to ensure the quality of your mobile application.

How To Test a Mobile App

iPhone App Testing - App Testing Company

With literally millions of iPhone Apps now released, it is becoming clear that shift to developing these types of applications is no longer a fad, but more of a revolution. So how can an iPhone App developer release an App that will be successful if there are so many Apps out there?

An iPhone App developer has full control over the design and software code, but what about the quality? this is information not easily obtainable without professional knowledge and experience in the world of software testing. To release an App and make it stand out from the crowd, it must be well designed and well coded. The only way to ensure this has been achieved is by using a professional iPhone App Tester.

When choosing a reputable App Testing company, there are certain things you can look out for such as:

1. Ensure the App will be tested on real devices (not simulators). Some companies will offer you very cheap testing, but this will often be performed on a simulator which nothing more than a web browser made to be the same size an iPhone screen. A simulator cannot check memory usage, CPU usage, battery usage, network disconnects or signal strength. Make sure a real device is used, that’s what the people who download your App from iTunes will use. A professional testing company will provide you the UDID’s of there available test devices. with these, you as the developer will need to make provisioning files to be included along with your App when you send it for testing.

2. Check a range of devices is available, e.g. iPhone 3, iPhone 4, iPad and iPod-Touch. You do not want to release your App only to find out that iPhone 4 users are experiencing crashes. Most good testing companies will offer a discount if you opt to test on multiple devices. if they don’t then ask them!

3. Make sure the testing will be carried out using the latest firmware available for that device. Most iPhone users will upgrade straight away as soon as new firmware version is released. So it makes obvious sense to ensure you App functions correctly with the latest firmware.

4. Always ask an iPhone App Testing company about Usability testing too. A good tester should be able to identify weaknesses relating to Usability and report them to you. This type of testing should include creating typical user scenarios and playing them out to test the usability factor of your App prior to its release. This is an important aspect to the success of an iPhone App which is often overlooked.

5. Always ask for a test report. You don’t want someone you don’t know simply telling your App is fine. You need some kind of document containing a checklist of the areas that were tested along with any subsequent test results.

6. As well as the standard Exploratory testing techniques, a good testing company should be able to offer you more advanced testing techniques such as Boundary Value Analysis and Equivalence Partitioning. These techniques are very useful on areas of your App where a user is required to select or input any kind of information. This is probably the most likely area of an App that will contain bugs.

7. As a developer you will probably want to get your App released ASAP, and so it is likely you will need a quick turnaround. A good testing company should be able to provide you with a quick turnaround for testing your App, and get the results back to you fast.

iPhone App Testing - App Testing Company

iPhone App Testing Service

Visit Testing4Success.com to view our complete range of iPhone App Testing Services. Our professional Mobile App Testers have the skill, knowledge and expertise to test your iPhone apps. Whether it’s an app in development, or already released, our testers are standing-by to ensure your iPhone app is the best it can be, and reaches your target audience with the highest quality. Contact us today for more information regarding our iPhone app testing services.

Your iPhone app’s ultimate success will be gauged by its quality almost instantaneously as it hits the marketplace. Due the way mobile app markets work, user feedback is received without censorship and is publicly viewed. If your app is not ‘up-to-scratch’, the users will voice their opinion and effectively ‘judge’ your app. This user feedback is critical to the overall success of your app. Negative feedback can kill an app, and so the importance of using a professional iPhone App Testing Service is paramount.

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