Learn how a web tester can move to mobile application testing. Softheme's presentation for SQA Days 2012

1. Mobile application testing:
How to perform transition from web testing to mobile
testing

2. Mobile applications popularity
• standalone applications
for all platforms – about
1 mln.
• mobile websites – even
more
Mobile application testing has become a typical task in most of
IT outsourcing companies

3. Common features of web and mobile
testing
• Browser compatibility checks
• Evaluation for different screen
resolutions
• Similar instruments
(emulators of browsers/
devices)
It is not hard for a web tester to switch to mobile devices

4. Setting testing objectives
• What are we testing – mobile
website or mobile application
• For whom – user profile
(geogrphy, technical
skills, expectations etc.)
• Devices – which models and/or
emulators will be used for testing
• How – defining approaches
(Friends & Family
testing, scenario-based etc.)

5. Testing mobile website
• Define suppported
browsers
• Define test coverage
• Move on to testing
Web testers are familiar
with the process

6. Mobile application testing
• select platforms
(iOS, Android, Blackberry, Win
dows Mobile, Symbian, Bada)
• screen resolutions, supported
by the application (for
instance, it is critical for
Galaxy Tab)
• hardware requirements
(GPS, multitouch etc.)

7. Platforms and versions coverage
• Popularity of
Symbian and iOS
is steady
• Android is on
the rise
• Blackberry loses
market share
(worldwide stats)

8. Mobile platforms stats
Статистика по США, источник - http://gs.statcounter.com

9. Screen resolutions
• iOS = iPhone + iPad
+ iPod
• Andoid = screen +
OS
• Blackberry = almost
like Android

10. Screen resolution of iOS devices
iPhone Original/3G/3GS: 320 × 480
4/4S: 640 × 960
iPad 1024×768
iPod 1—3 generation: 320 × 480 px, 163 ppi
4-е generation: 960 × 640 px, 326 ppi
Source: http://developer.apple.com

11. Screen resolution of Android devices
Low density Medium High density Extra high
(120), ldpi density (160), (240), hdpi density (320),
mdpi xhdpi
Small screen 240x320 480x640
Normal screen 240x400 320x480 480x800 640x960
240x432 480x854
600x1024
Large screen 480x800 480x800
480x854 480x854
600x1024
Extra large 1024x600 1280x800 1536x1152 2048x1536
screen 1024x768 1920x1152 2560x1536
1280x768 1920x1200 2560x1600
Source: http://developer.android.com

12. Testing for Blackberry
• Versions and devices:
us.blackberry.com
http://supportforums.blackberry.com
• Devices and resolutions Wiki
http://stats.wikimedia.org
BlackBerry and more

13. Coverage is defined. Now what?
• Buy many mobile
devices?
• Download many
emulators and
simulatiors of mobile
devices and browsers?
• Submit to multiple
online services to gain
access to all mobile
devices?

14. Option 1: Purchasing devices
Pros: Cons:
• Real user • Expensive
environment • Not always possible
• Tech specs are clear to buy/order devices
• High speed of testing • One device = One
QA Engineer
• Get out of date
quickly

15. Option 2: Emulators and simulators
Pros: Cons:
• They are free • They can’t emulate all
• Speed of testing is types of user
higher than on interaction
physical devices • Don’t provide clear tech
specs
• Can be easily provided
• Exist not for all devices
to all QA Engineers

16. Option 3: services that provide remote
access to devices
Pros: Cons:
• Cover virtually all devices • Don’t provide 100%
• Provide instant access interaction
• Cost less than purchasing all • Relatively slow
the devices • Still costly – sometimes it’s
cheaper to buy devices

17. Friends & Family testing
• One person – one device
• Variety of real-life interactions
• Fast and easy
• Real user experience
• New unexpected bugs
• Quick informal feedback
Everyone has a mobile device
nowadays, that is why for smoke testing it
makes sense to gather a group
friends, family and acquaintances

18. Let’s summarize
Mobile application testing is:
• Easy to perform – it can be
described with a check-list, there is
no complex fucntionality
• Easy to plan – coverage is defined
by exploring current usage stats
• Inexpensive – we can use
emulators, online services and use
Friends&Family approach
• Challenging – variety of models and OS versions

19. Thanks!
About Softheme:
Softheme provides QA and testing services for desktop, web and mobile
applications since 2009.
More than 30 mobile applications successfully released.