March 2016 - Testbytes Software

It is news to android app developers that google has launched Cloud Test Lab. It is a new technique for developers to test their Android apps.

Android App Testing Services can make use of this cloud based technique to test Android apps against multiple Android devices in bulk.

The boundless number of various Android gadgets makes it all but Android developers cannot guarantee that their applications run well on every one of them. No need to worry about it, Google Cloud Test Lab Service could help with this.

Read Also: 6 Top Android App Testing Challenges

Google describes the service in this way:

For complete testing before launching your app, Cloud Test Lab gives you access to physical gadgets so you can see what’s happening for your clients in the real world. Additionally, you can run the majority of your tests over all gadgets, all in the meantime – giving you access to greatly parallel testing, bringing you profound and scaled insight.

This innovative service launched at Mountain View’s Google I/O Developer Conference, will allow developers to upload their apps through the Google play Developer Console. Developers will get the opportunity to test their apps on both real and virtualized versions of the major 20 Android gadgets across the world.

In the event that the application crashes anytime, Android App Services will get a report with a video showing the failure. Google affirms, the reports will likewise call attention to if the app’s format doesn’t work with a specific screen resolution and if it has any issues running on gadgets with minimal memory.

Usefulness of Cloud Test Lab

Appurify provides the technology for Google Cloud Test Lab. Appurify have some really wonderful technology; there is nothing wrong with saying that Google Cloud is a service packed with potential.

Each APK submitted to Play Store’s Alpha and Beta channels will be so filtered on more than 20 physical gadgets and get a free launch execution report. Android App Services which need to run customized testing can in the end buy it through Cloud Test Lab.

With Google cloud, Google aims to drive a quality improvement of apps. The service can possibly make it quicker and simpler for developers to manage the issues connected with the fragmentation of Android Gadgets. It is proven that this will work with a subset of functionality on a subset of devices being given for free. This will be awesome for game developers and small organizations that don’t profit from their apps to burn through $1000’s on testing.

Basic app crawlers can do wonders with Google Cloud. They likely to use this free functionality to provide unscripted pseudo – random testing.

Recommended Read : How to Master the Art of Cloud Testing

A larger set of practicality from a way larger pool of devices isn’t an expensive service to produce and will come at a cost for developers. This may target the top 1% of apps and supply a technique for supplementing the apps existing internal testing. The type of extra functionality likely to add would be features such as:

Support of customized testing structures, such as, Espresso and UIAutomator.
Complete control of gadget environment, such as, network connection, language, memory, signal quality and location.
Ample network traffic, memory, CPU, battery and FPS profiling.
Comprehensive gadget library

Gadgets to include are as follows

Gadgets from every manufacturer.
Flagship gadgets for each of the past several years.
Each released CPU design.
Every Android API, including preview APIs
Blends of Feature Sets
Android One gadgets
Different physical screen size
Different screen densities
Varying screen resolutions
Variety of languages
Languages with RTL layouts
Android TV gadgets
Android Auto gadgets
Android Wear gadgets

Today, millions of people depend on mobile app to conduct internet browsing for social networking as well as for other purposes. The increased use of mobile apps and its rapid development, stress the need for proper testing before releasing it to the market. As end users are more concerned about user experience and performance, there is a need to discuss major challenges of mobile app testing.

Read Also: 6 Top Android App Testing Challenges

Some of the key challenges of mobile app testing services are:

User experience and issues related to app performance

Customers always prefer an app with greater user experience. Also the app should give a fresh, proper and pre-defined user interface. A delay of more than two seconds can affect the user performance and thus cause a significant impact on their preferences. Mobile applications which are free from errors and faults will give a better user experience and this will directly affect on the business sources of the application. Quality of the mobile application is graded by users according to the user experience. Most customers choose the application based on the previous reviews and grades. Sometimes poor user experience or old errors may lead to business failure of the application.

Touch screen

Touch screen enables display and retrieval of data faster and easier. Today it is one of the major sources of user interaction. Testing of touch screen tends to be more complicated and stable. Apart from this, signals or signs which show data also cause a challenge in the process of testing.

Context awareness

One of the greatest challenges in mobile app testing is context awareness that demands new and innovative approaches. Mobile applications in different contexts along with different data can often create a new challenge in the entire process of testing. Constantly changing usage patterns and environment of smart phones can create a great impact on context.

Lesser time to market the app

Declaring of strict timelines can affect testing of mobile app. Strict timelines can prevent fulfilling of proper design, development, need and overall testing of mobile apps according to the needs of the user. Certain stages of mobile app development are closely related and it needs to be properly tested. For effective testing and later release, there is a need for framing ample timelines otherwise it becomes a complete failure.

Security issues

There is more security for apps running via private cloud when compared to apps running in a public cloud. There would be no data violation for a secure private cloud and it provides access to testing teams.

Variations of mobile user interface

There are different user interfaces for different operating system such as Windows, Android, etc., which guides by a different set of rules and regulations. While publishing mobile applications in the market, it is necessary to carry out a careful checking on the layout of the elements and usage of apps as a part of the verification process. Publishing process gets delayed if the apps fail to follow the rules and regulations which later increase the cost of testing and development.

Lack of access to multiple devices

There are chances where two testers need the same devices at the same time. It would be impossible to use the same devices by two testers. Hence, one tester would be left out until the other one leaves it. Procurement of multiple devices is time consuming and expensive. Also, it is not advisable to place testers across continents.

Device based testing approach

Under this approach, there is a necessity to buy real new mobile devices as well as setting up a testing laboratory. It is costly and this approach needs to cope with changing mobile devices and platforms as well.

Recommended Read: Best practices to follow for iOS mobile app testing

A proper, specific and structured testing strategy can make mobile app testing services successful and worthy. It would be helpful to consider the above challenges at the time of testing mobile apps.

Month: March 2016

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