Introduction About Mobile App Testing

The mobile phone has gradually taken over completely from the analog/desktop phones. Mobile phones are not only for receiving calls; they perform multipurpose functions – phone calls/reception, snapping of pictures, video recording, voice recording, SMS messaging, internet browsing, etc. You can see that we really cannot do without these little appliances.

The mobile phones, Smartphones, tablets, iPhones, and the rest that we have today are only as good as the Apps that they run on. This is why particular attention is paid to making sure that these Apps do not only meet international standards, but that are also free of viruses and malware that are likely to give users a headache.

What is Mobile Application Testing?

Mobile App testing is the act of subjecting mobile applications to tests over diverse platform combinations, networks, and operating systems to ascertain their quality and safety before they are released into the global market. Besides, apart from functional testing, non-functional testing such as usability testing, security testing, and other important variables are carried out. The main reason for Mobile Application Testing is to ensure that mobile Apps quality is progressively improved upon.

Types of Mobile App Testing

There are two main types of testing that are carried out on Mobile Apps – Hardware testing and Software testing (also known as Application testing).

1. Hardware testing

   The major things to test as far as hardware is concerned include internal hardware, internal processors, WIFI, Bluetooth, memory, radio, resolution, and camera. This kind of testing is also known as “Mobile Testing”.

2. Software Testing (Application testing)

   There is also a need to test the applications that are installed on the mobile devices as well as their functionality. This testing is referred to as “Mobile Application Testing”. The mobile applications also have some basic differences that we need to familiarize ourselves with:

   1. Native apps: These are created specifically for platforms such as tablets and mobile.
   2. Mobile web apps: They are server-side apps designed to be used on mobile to enable you gain access to websites with the use of browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, Explorer, etc through the connection to a wireless network (such as WIFI) or mobile network.
   3. Hybrid apps: This is a mixture of native apps and web apps. Hybrid apps either run offline or on devices. They are usually written with the help of CSS and HTML5 technologies.

Differences between native apps and mobile web apps

The few differences between these two apps include the following:

• Native apps have an affinity for a single platform but mobile web apps have an affinity for cross platforms.
• Installation is needed for native apps but mobile web apps do not usually require installations
• Installation of native apps is done on the app store or Google play store. Mobile web apps, on the other hand, are websites and can be accessed through the internet.
• Mobile apps are written in platforms such as SDKs, but mobile web apps are written with Java, CSS, asp.net, PHP and HTML technologies.
• Native apps are usually faster than mobile web apps
• You can update native apps from the app store or play store. Mobile web apps enjoy centralized updates.
• A lot of native apps do not need internet connection whereas mobile web apps must be connected to the internet.

Conclusion

Mobile App Testing gives credibility to the mobile apps that the phones make use of and help to increase the trust that people have on them regarding their safety, security, and usability.