Introduction

The smartphone boom is here to stay. These phones are swiftly becoming the only mode of interaction readily available in every size, shape, and form. Thousands of apps are created daily to push the boundaries of the functionalities of our phones. The phenomenon of apps is being integrated into appliances, wearable tech, modes of transport, safety gear, and much more. There are numerous challenges in the field of mobile app testing. Each way has its advantages and disadvantages. Let us closely examine five challenges testers face in mobile app testing and the ways to mitigate them.

5 Challenges of Testing Apps for Smartphones 

• Variations in screen sizes of the phones

Creating an app for an iPhone or Android is quite a challenge, but manufacturing one for several platforms requires considerable effort when it comes to testing. The overwhelming assortment of newer phones that are being manufactured every day comes with a range of different screen sizes. 

Most devices have different screen sizes, and the same application is displayed in various modes on several devices. App developers have to build the same application with other displays. This increases the cost, time, and effort of development. Hence, additional work is needed to support multiple platforms. However, the presence of mobile testing tools caters to this need sufficiently.

• Variations in kinds of mobile OS

There are countless operating systems in mobile phones, and the number of operating systems is growing daily. Currently, the most popular platforms are Android and iOS. The diversity in the device’s OS versions used at any given time is known as device fragmentation. 

Every operating system itself has multiple versions. These varieties also demand substantial development costs and are time-consuming. Testing applications for each version of every other operating system poses a colossal task. Various mobile test automation tools and cloud-based mobile app testing have made it easier for testers in 2023 to handle these issues. Kobiton, HeadSpin, Xamarin, Keynote, and many more such cloud-based mobile app testing tools are making the load lighter for developers and testers worldwide.

• Variations in application testing tools

In the current era, many mobile testing tools exist in application development. Several platforms lead developers to choose among various application testing tools. The mobile testing tools may also differ from one another in functionality. 

There are mobile test automation tools, manual mobile app testing tools, semi-manual mobile app testing tools, emulators, simulators, cloud-based mobile app testing tools, and many more. Amongst the various mobile test automation tools, the most commonly used are Appium, Selenium, Katalon Studio, TestComplete, Ranorex, and Robot Framework.

• Variations in user requirements

One of the biggest conundrums to overcome in mobile app testing is the ever-changing user requirements. Catering to a customer base relies heavily on the shoulders of the developers and testers when transforming technology and meeting the client’s needs. The competition is fierce. The current era has seen a significant rise in customer demands for customization of the functionalities of their phone. The most common requirements include

• multiple language support,
• expandable memory,
• higher and better performance optimization,
• innovative visual elements,
• lower prices, and
• increased availability of functionalities variations in less time.

Developers should engage in a survey, decide on the factors they want to develop, and make it stand out to draw attention to their application and meet the customer’s needs.

• Variations in Mobile Networks

When the updates are rolled out, one of the major issues encountered in mobile app testing is unstable mobile networks. Variety in the strength of towers can cause users to have issues with signal strength. Developers must test applications on different networks to ensure their performance remains uninterrupted and user needs are met.

Resolving Challenges: HeadSpin

HeadSpin is a mobile application testing platform that helps developers to identify and resolve the challenges of mobile app testing. Some of the ways that HeadSpin resolves the challenges of mobile app testing include:

1. Real-world testing: HeadSpin allows developers to test their mobile apps in real-world conditions, such as on different networks, devices, and geographic locations. This helps to recognize flaws not apparent in a controlled testing ecosystem.
2. Performance testing: HeadSpin provides developers with tools to test the performance of their mobile apps, such as load testing and stress testing. This helps to ensure that the app can handle high user traffic without crashing or slowing down.
3. Automated testing: HeadSpin offers tools that can help developers save time and effort while testing their mobile apps. This includes automated functional testing, regression testing, and compatibility testing.
4. Comprehensive reporting: HeadSpin provides detailed reports on the performance of the mobile app, including metrics such as load time, response time, and error rates. This helps developers to identify areas that need improvement and to track progress over time.
5. Collaboration: HeadSpin allows developers to collaborate and share test results with other team members, such as QA testers and product managers.

Conclusion

Smartphones are reduced to regular phones without applications. Different factors play into the application development lifecycle. It is quite a daunting task to handle them all. This article has taken a closer look at these factors and their solutions.

HeadSpin helps to address the challenges of mobile app testing by providing developers with a comprehensive testing platform that includes real-world testing, performance testing, automated testing, comprehensive reporting, and collaboration tools.