How to Perform Effective Mobile Application Testing?

Modern mobile device are smart, portative, powerful computers. They perform plenty of diverse functions; get information from various sensors; with their help one may solve lots of tasks.

Many various software products have been created for mobile devices. All this makes some people forget that originally mobile devices have been elaborated for communication.

Communication remains the main function of smartphones though they can be used for many other purposes. Performing mobile application testing one shouldn’t forget about that. Considering of communication functions is one of distinctions of mobile testing from desktop testing and web site testing.

In order to check a mobile software product effectively one should take into account peculiarities of the mobile device.

Testers Should Determine:

- what functions and features of the device are involved in the software functioning;

- how different settings of the device influence the system under test;

- how other software products installed on the device impact the program.

A software testing company recommends its testers to check thoroughly what effect common features, typical and preinstalled applications of a smartphone or a tablet have on the system under test.

Usually That Means Checking:

- How the software operates under various types of connection, networking signals of different strength, in dead spots, in transition points.

- Whether the program utilizes location services; how it functions when they are off and on.

- Whether it is comfortable to work with the application under different screen and sound settings.

- Whether it is comfortable to interact with the system under various environment conditions, like lighting, temperature and so on.

- If the software supports several languages, localization testing must be performed.

- If changing of time zone, date or time have an impact on the program.

It is wise to pay close attention to different messages and notifications, as they are an integral part of functioning of any computer. One should see how the software works when notifications from outside are allowed and forbidden.

It is Important to Determine:

- how interruptions by notifications influence operation of the system;

- whether it is possible to continue working from the point the work was interrupted;

- whether the data and changes are saved.

Notifications of many kinds can interrupt work of a software product. It is significant to watch how the application handles all types of them in course of mobile application testing, desktop testing or web site testing. As a rule, a mobile device provides more notifications than a personal computer, and notifications are more frequent on a smartphone or a tablet.

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