New mobile apps are developed daily. The differentiators between apps are often minuscule. What typically sets them apart are functionality and usability. Unfortunately, when there is a push to get a product out the door quickly, quality assurance may be overlooked. For example, QA testing might be done on simulators or emulators or conducted on only a few different devices. But a product that does not meet user standards can lead to bad reviews and lost sales.
So what are the problems with only testing on a small number of devices or simulators/emulators? Here are the three common:
No Real-World Situations
Emulators/simulators are programmed to test certain circumstances (i.e. how they perform using WiFi). Real devices, on the other hand, allow testers to determine the actual performance of mobile apps on the device that use them. For example, the app may perform fine with a strong WiFi signal, but may falter in a car with a spotty connection.
Does It Display Correctly?
The app may look quite different on a device than what the developer intended. But, if you only have a few devices available, then you won’t be able to see how the app appears – for example – on different Android devices or versions of iOS.
Do Mobile Apps Respond to Interruptions?
When users access apps on their devices, they may also receive text messages, calls, and other notifications simultaneously. It’s hard to replicate these situations on a handful of devices.
Need assistance with mobile testing? iBeta has mobile device testing labs dedicated to testing applications for Android, iOS, Windows and other mobile platforms. Contact us to learn more now.