Key challenges in Mobile Application Testing

The age of M-Commerce is here and there is no denying the fact that it is here to stay for a foreseeable future. Across the globe, millions of new users are getting the latest smartphones which mean the world of mobile phones is rapidly changing with every passing day.

A dynamic market brings with it various challenges and one of the most important of them is to ensure the applications running on these smartphones deliver a fantastic user experience. Millions of new applications are created every day and thousands get phased out, making the job of testing an application even more difficult and challenging.

We give you a sneak peek into the various challenges faced in mobile application along with a few mobile application testing techniques.

1. Increasing fragmentation of mobile: This is easily the most challenging part of mobile app testing. The matrix for different operating systems is changing very fast. Android and iOS are the two major operating systems today and these come with a range of screen sizes and resolutions. Add to this the customers who are still using the older version of the OS (Operating system) and we have a real issue at hand. In order to cater to maximum mobile users, we need to increase the test cycles keeping in mind all the versions of the operating system that exists in the market. One also needs to make the application compatible for any changes which might happen in the future.

2. User experience & performance of the application: The whole purpose of creating an app is to provide the user with the best experience in terms of user interface. The criticality of this aspect is so huge that companies spend millions of money to ensure there is as less lag as possible while using the app. One of the key challenges in mobile app testing and creation is to make sure the app uses a minimum resource to run and perform all its functions. The success and failure of an app are entirely dependent on the user experience and it is the performance of the app that will ensure the experience is good or bad.

3. Localization: Apps need to be developed keeping in mind the global standards and international audience. This makes the job of the tester even more difficult. The needs and purpose of using the app along with the rules and regulations differ from country to country. This has to be taken into account as well as while testing the application to ensure it passes all the tests before being released.

4. Lack of access to multiple devices: One device is often shared between testers. This is a major challenge since the other tester has to wait for his turn until the other tester has completed his work. There are many mobile application testing techniques which are used to avoid this hassle, however, it still poses a threat as far as meeting deadlines is concerned.

5. Types of mobile applications: Mobile applications are also of different types. Some are web-based, native or are customizable/ hybrid. The native apps are your calendars; calculators etc which we know as inbuilt applications. The email and chatting platforms which we download from the store are the web-based applications. Integrating these applications into the Operating system and extracting optimum performance is easily one of the key challenges in mobile application testing.

6. Connection types: Currently network operators are offering 2g, 3g, 4g, and edge connections. Every app responds differently to each of these connection types. Add to this the GSM and CDMA angle and we have a very complicated issue at hand. One needs to test the app on all these connections since users are distributed amongst these types. This is where your mobile app testing techniques come into the picture. The app should perform at the optimum level for each of these connections to ensure its popularity.

7. Different Operating versions – iOS updates are very fast and immediate since the users are aware of the changing technology and want to keep themselves ahead of the rest, at all times. This is not the case with Android and window users. This means the applications made need to have an older version that is compatible with Android OS while keeping them compatible with the newer version too. This is an extremely challenging task and it makes the job of the application tester and designer even more difficult.

8. Security: Personal data is always shared on these apps. This makes security a very important aspect which cannot be ignored or taken lightly. Testing the app on a cloud-based platform, which is private, is the best solution to ensure the security standards are met with less risk. Security becomes very important when the application is going to access your bank account and your personal data which you have shared with any financial institution or if you are trying to make a payment online using your mobile phone.

Most of you must be wondering how to do mobile application testing and if there is a mobile app testing checklist to make it easy for newcomers. The first step is preparing a test case followed by performance accepting tests and finally testing it on the device. You will have to check the below pointers without fail to ensure that an application is ready to be launched.

a. Conditions after installation
b. How does the app react to interruptions?
c. What is the effect of a network on the app’s performance?
d. Performance
e. How does the device integrate with a device and other apps inside the device?

At Crowd4test, we test your app across a wide range of devices and platforms thereby giving you the optimum results and benchmark of your app. We have taken the art of mobile app testing to a whole new level. We also have our crowd testing community which will help you get the results within a few hours or a few days from the actual end users. Optimum utilization of resources is the buzzword here. With our experience and expertise, we can manage the testing better as is evident from our testimonials.

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