Mobile Applications Testing – A Big Challange

Mobile Applications Testing –

A Big Challange

Mobile Applications Testing – A Big Challange The diversity in mobile devices and the operating systems on which they run, pose severe challenges in the way of a fool proof testing of the applications intended to run on these devices. Mobile application testing is a niche testing process in which the applications or apps developed for mobile devices are tested for their flawless functioning and performance. Mobile Applications are easily downloadable in the various stores based on the operating system platforms or they are pre-installed in the devices. These have to be tested for various scenarios.

The Challenges Device Variation The physical differences of various mobile devices are stark. The input methods like touch or keypad and the different screen sizes create a big challenge for testing. The Application behavior should remain the same when the inputs are in different fashion and the outputs should be rendered according to the display area.

Operating Systems The multitude of Operating System platforms available like iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry come with their own set of behaviors. Testing a single application across multiple devices running on same or different platforms poses a unique challenge for testers.

Mobile Network operators The hundreds of mobile network operators follow their own standards for communication; some well known like 2G, 3G, GSM and CDMA, while many are less known. Each network operator uses a different kind network infrastructure. Data transmission and interchange have to be tested under all the circumstances.

Script Developing a common test script for the various devices with different input methods, displays and User Interfaces is very difficult. Many a times the scripts for testing are platform based.

Types of Mobile Application Testing These diversities pose severe challenges in front of the Testing Teams for mobile applications. Mobile application testing proves to be more complicated than web testing or Desktop Testing.

Functional Testing 

To ensure functioning of the application as per the requirements chalked out



Tests the UI

Network Testing 

Simulation of carrier Network and their testing

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Tests voice and data quality and speed

Performance Testing 

Checks performance in adverse scenarios like Bad Network Low Battery Low Memory User Traffic

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Verifies Client & Server side performances

Interrupt Testing 

Testing of Apps when an interrupt is faced

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Incoming and Outgoing SMS , Calls, Notificaitons

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Battery Removal

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Cable Insertion and Removal for data transfer

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Network outage and recovery

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Media Player on/off

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Device Power cycle

Usability testing



To test if the features of the application are relevant

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User responses are the main criteria of this testing

Security Testing 

Encryption Decryption Techniques testing

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Data Access by unintended users

Mobile Applications testing has emerged as a niche technology in the recent years and various testing tools available in the market lend a helping hand to this field.