With millions of mobile applications accessible on the market, mobile phones have become essential to our lives in the modern world. Mobile phones are now capable of more than simply texting and making calls. Nonetheless, the sheer quantity of apps accessible necessitates several forms of mobile testing for mobile development firms.
Ever ponder what a day might be like without a smartphone? Most likely not, as it seems almost unfeasible. Furthermore, even if there are many variations in mobile models, screen resolutions, operating systems, and network kinds, how can we be sure that an application is compatible with all of these variations? This is where thorough mobile testing is functional, and we’ll discuss the many kinds of mobile testing for hardware and apps in this blog. Now, let’s get started!
What Kinds of Mobile Testing Are There?
Functional Testing
Functional testing is a subset of mobile testing that verifies that all of the application’s features and functionality operate as intended and that it meets all criteria. By carrying out functional testing, we can provide a high-quality product that satisfies client needs, minimizes risks, and complies with product specifications.
Let’s take a mobile e-commerce app as an example. One of its features is the ability to let customers add items to their carts.
After opening the app and doing a product search, the user adds the item to their basket.
We ensure the app operates and that the “Add to cart” feature functions properly to ensure that the app is operating correctly.
Usability Testing
When mobile apps are tested, they are examined for user-friendliness, standard layout, intuitiveness of the user interface, and convenience of usage. Users should be able to do activities on the program quickly without struggling to comprehend the buttons and structure.
Real devices must be used for usability testing, and consumers must participate to provide insights into the user experience. After giving the users several test cases or tasks to complete on the application, a questionnaire is sent to them—the input from the usability test aids in improving the application’s usability and fixing issues.
Compatibility Testing
Compatibility testing aims to ensure the mobile app is functional and compatible with every mobile device you want to support. Testing is essential to guarantee your app’s consistent use and functionality across a range of hardware, operating systems, browser versions, and devices.
Testing for compatibility is done in a variety of likely settings, such as:
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Operating Systems: Android, iOS, Windows, and so on.
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Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and so on.
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Devices with different memory capacities, screen sizes, and resolutions.
We are addressing hundreds of possible settings here. Therefore, doing it by hand is difficult.
Using Amazon Prime Video as an example, it works with both iOS and Android tablets and smartphones. There are hundreds of possible combinations of devices, operating systems, screen sizes, and resolutions since it is also compatible with various smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, PlayStations, and other devices.
Performance Testing
Performance testing ensures that the mobile application is responsive, reliable, and functioning even with a higher demand. When it comes to using mobile devices or the mobile web, the burden may be measured in terms of website consumption.
A mobile application must pass these criteria to continue operating under various loads. Users could move from a poorly performing application without hesitation, and if your performance testing were done correctly, you wouldn’t have to give it any thought.
Performance testing (for mobile devices) measures various parameters, such as speed, memory use, battery life, and data transmission.
Security Testing
When discussing mobile security testing, the following topics must be covered:
Authentication and Authorization
Malicious attacks may be encouraged by ineffective code authentication and authorization checks.
Data Security
A mobile application may purposefully damage users by disclosing private information to other apps.
Eliminating Possibilities for Hacking
Cybercriminals search for weaknesses in order to get into mobile devices and obtain access.
Safe Communication
Sending private information across unencrypted networks seriously compromises the privacy of user information.
Installation Testing
When testing is done specifically for a mobile device, we check how successful and easy it is to install an application in different settings. Verify that all of the application’s components are installed and functioning as a unit. This implies that we must examine the removal procedure as well. When you remove the program from the device, be sure to delete any associated files.
During installation testing, we do the following checks:
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Compatibility across devices, hardware, operating systems, and versions of each.
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In what location is the program stored? For example, SD memory or internal memory.
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Upgrading to a newer version ought to function well. If there is a mid-upgrade interruption, the previous iteration should also function well.
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Verify the application’s behavior and memory use during installation. If there is insufficient memory, the program should display the relevant notification.
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During installation, observe how the program behaves and the battery.
Localization Testing
The customization process guarantees that the program is appropriate for the language and currency of the country or area being utilized. With this kind of mobile testing, the application’s user interface is suitably tailored to the user’s country of usage.
In the course of localization testing, we verify the following:
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Precision in language
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Cultural sensitivity
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Commands, help files, and messages are categorized by nation or area.
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Appropriately altered inputs, logos, and symbols for the program.
Exploratory Testing
Michael Bolton once said, “Exploratory Testing is not so much a thing that you do; it’s far more a way that you think.” Which unequivocally declares that because automation and robots are incapable of thinking, humans do it and not them. Manually examining the program to identify its flaws and limits is known as exploratory testing. Here, testers are free to use their imagination and critical thinking to test situations as they arise without having to adhere to prewritten tests.
When thinking about this as a kind of mobile testing, the testers investigate the uses for:
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Compatibility across many devices
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Simple keypad operation
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Application speed
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Response to alerts, calls, and SMS interruptions
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Visual testing of the program on the smartphone in both portrait and landscape modes
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Appropriate screen presentation of the navigation
Conclusion
Test automation is critical to mobile app testing methodologies used by successful QA services and teams. It increases coverage, accelerates delivery, and frees internal resources for other strategic goals. Automated testing, such as scalability testing or confirming an API’s throughput, confirms reliable code and repetitive chores.
As a best practice, QA teams should employ manual testing to carry out exploratory testing that calls for human-led insights to find more subtle issues with the application experience. Testing that gains from actual transactions, real data, and real people is also a good match for manual testing.