iOS App Testing Tutorial: Manual & Automation cover

iOS App Testing: A Comprehensive Guide

Mobile testing Most critical scenarios you shouldn’t miss to test

Top 7 Test Scenarios for Mobile Phone

Let’s start this post with a situation. An organization working in the logistic business has started to gather positive reviews and millions of users are now opting for their services through their mobile app. In other words, the organization is scaling very fast. 



Even though they were managing quite well with manual testers and in-house test automation setup, they know this arrangement cannot work for long. They are smart people. 



They also know that automation testing is gaining popularity and it is one of the strategies to get hold of ROI faster. Hence, they start searching for a tool that can act as a bridge between efficient mobile testing and ROI.



This post is for all those people in the shoes of that company. While I know that there are other tools in the sea, today, &nbsp;I will defend <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank">the complete cloud-based test automation tool Testsigma</a> and how it can play a protagonist in your mobile testing movie.



You, being the judge, may ultimately swing in my direction or against it. It is completely your choice. But I hope till the end of this post, some solid arguments have been made &#8211; the evidence presented and witnesses quoted &#8211; that can help you understand it better.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#I_dont_know_anything_8211_How_much_effort_will_I_have_to_put">1 I don’t know anything &#8211; How much effort will I have to put?</a><ul><li><a href="#Programming_knowledge_8211_not_required">1.1 Programming knowledge &#8211; not required</a></li><li><a href="#Test_creation_8211_Easier_with_a_friend">1.2 Test creation &#8211; Easier with a friend</a></li><li><a href="#Configurational_setup_8211_How_much_time_will_I_have_to_spend">1.3 Configurational setup &#8211; How much time will I have to spend?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#I_run_close_on_deadlines_8211_How_can_I_save_time_with_Testsigma">2 I run close on deadlines &#8211; How can I save time with Testsigma?</a><ul><li><a href="#Cross-platform_tests_8211_Save_me_from_repetitive_work">2.1 Cross-platform tests &#8211; Save me from repetitive work</a></li><li><a href="#I_dont_want_to_leave_clients_on_slower_networks">2.2 I don’t want to leave clients on slower networks</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#I_run_tight_on_a_budget_8211_But_I_need_real_devices">3 I run tight on a budget &#8211; But I need real devices</a></li><li><a href="#I_am_convinced_But_Can_I_trust_Testsigma">4 I am convinced! But, Can I trust Testsigma?</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-don-t-know-anything-how-much-effort-will-i-have-to-put">I don’t know anything &#8211; How much effort will I have to put?</h2>



As a software developer, I have always come across people who are sceptical about new projects in the mobile app which demand technologies that they don’t know. “React Native? I have heard about it, how hard is it?” or “How much effort will it need to get me started?”. 



Considering the shortage of time and the fact that this is an endless cycle, these questions are bound to be raised. So, how hard is it to get started with Testsigma?



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="programming-knowledge-not-required">Programming knowledge &#8211; not required</h3>



The first that comes to mind while discussing a new mobile automation testing strategy is the programming languages it supports. I mean, learning framework is one thing but if your known languages are not supported, you have another thing coming.&nbsp;



<a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/codeless-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The mobile testing solution, Testsigma does not require any programming language</a> for mobile testing. It is very easy to learn. Thus anyone who is aware of the project can log in and start creating automation tests. How easy it is to create a test is discussed in the next section though.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="test-creation-easier-with-a-friend">Test creation &#8211; Easier with a friend</h3>



Testsigma’s mobile test creation is one of the best features that you will get on any cloud-based automation tool. Testsigma’s test creation stands on two pillars &#8211; <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/natural-language-processing-nlp-based-test-automation/" target="_blank">natural language processing</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/ai-driven-test-automation" target="_blank">artificial intelligence</a>. 



It favours the English language when it comes to creating tests on the cloud. So, instead of writing code for a particular UI identifier, you can directly select it with a single click.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/TgnXGQYrFtfL96Ljzy0jF0sQdo0f3RJDG8zVR8xZuP6I2VQWe72Hd8YDwDVI0Ad5qRuo95zmJCquSTs0X5YNIoTO-9RDn2b5aW0RDfJRbXa1HIorr618ntMD4DB1tZ8J57WOf3gD=s0" alt="Testsigma Tool"/></figure>



The better side of this tool is that it works as a friend to you and helps you out in that way. Natural language processing understands your requirements and recommends the next step while constructing the test cases. 



Also, the AI technology provides self-healing tests that can detect any changes in the source code and adapt or correct itself accordingly. A good example is given in the blog “<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" data-wpil="url" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/self-healing-test-automation/" target="_blank">Tests that do not require maintenance</a>” about how the tests adapt when “id” in the source code is changed from “username” to “userid”.



Result of all this &#8211; faster test creation. Which in turn means that the task is accomplished in lesser time and hence in fewer bucks.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="configurational-setup-how-much-time-will-i-have-to-spend">Configurational setup &#8211; How much time will I have to spend?</h3>



Configurational setup is one thing that <a href="https://www.itpro.com/cloud-security/34663/cloud-storage-how-secure-are-dropbox-onedrive-google-drive-and-icloud" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">does not favour cloud-based tools</a> in general. The problem is that there are too many things involved that need to be linked to each other and with cloud security in between, sometimes it is a mess. 



Testsigma has a clear and swift configurational setup whether it be managing users, third-party integrations, or enhancing security measures on the account.&nbsp;



Instead of explaining everything here, let me redirect you to the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://support.testsigma.com/support/solutions/32000022078" target="_blank">configurational knowledge base of Testsigma</a>. Here you can understand the step-wise process of configuring the tool according to your requirements.&nbsp;



From an ROI point of view, cloud configurations have always been preferred. In-house tool management is an easy job if there are only two or three members of the team. 



Centralizing everything with on-demand resource allocation is something that is amazingly smooth on the cloud. So you save time and money while starting your cloud setup.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-run-close-on-deadlines-how-can-i-save-time-with-testsigma">I run close on deadlines &#8211; How can I save time with Testsigma?</h2>



Another aspect of achieving faster returns is to move faster and achieve targets quickly. In the previous section, programming knowledge, test creation, and configurational setup were the main key areas. 



You might have already understood how Testsigma can help you save time in all of those. In addition to that, I would like to highlight a few more areas that can help you push things and conserve precious time.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="cross-platform-tests-save-me-from-repetitive-work">Cross-platform tests &#8211; Save me from repetitive work</h3>



Cross-platform tests are an exceptional time saver for the testers. A lot of the testers look for it in a framework and a lot of frameworks have been popular because of their cross-platform powers such as Appium. 



Cross-platform tests, in brief, is the ability to write mobile application tests once and run them for multiple mobile platforms. Since Android and iOS contribute to more than <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide" target="_blank">98% of the market</a>, most of the mobile testing tools and testers prefer only these two platforms.&nbsp;



Testsigma is a cross-platform tool. So, repetitive work is eliminated and you can achieve mobile testing on both of the platforms quickly. As part of your ROI, your investments are slashed out too. 



Since cross-platform requires lesser time for testing, you pay for less time to the testers and reduces charges to the cloud service provider. Hence, as I have repeatedly said in this post, a lesser investment would mean you have less to recover.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-don-t-want-to-leave-clients-on-slower-networks">I don’t want to leave clients on slower networks</h3>



The slower network of a user is always one of the main points of concern especially while dealing with mobile applications that work only with the internet such as Amazon. 



If your mobile application is in such a domain as eCommerce, a user generally keeps two or three applications to compare prices. If any of them works on a slower network while yours doesn’t, you lose a potential customer there. Therefore, it becomes a tester’s responsibility to stamp the application as “network tested”.



Testsigma helps you analyze your mobile application on a slower network by giving you an option to select the network bandwidth as per your choice. While countries such as the USA won’t mind an app that does not work on 3G, if you aim for a global customer base, you cannot ignore it. 



As for the effect on ROI for network testing, apart from time-money relation, a mobile app working on a slower network will bring more revenue to the organization.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-run-tight-on-a-budget-but-i-need-real-devices">I run tight on a budget &#8211; But I need real devices</h2>



The last section we take in this post is the complex arrangement of gathering all the devices for testing. The thing is, we need mobile devices to test our mobile application and verify they work perfectly in the target devices. 



These devices can either be virtual (non-existent) such as emulators and simulators or real (real physical devices). I will not go into the details of the advantages and disadvantages of each of them as we will get diverted from the main points of interest. Although, if you are keen to know, a post that can guide you is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank">just a click away</a>.



Coming back, the final conclusion is, real devices are the preferred and most optimum choice for performing mobile testing. But the main problem is purchasing, connecting, and maintaining them. This is where Testsigma comes to your rescue. 



<a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/test-lab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma uses real devices</a> at their end to help you gain the perfect perspective of your mobile application in both operating systems. Being a cloud service, you don’t need to think about purchasing these devices and maintaining them on-premise. Paying as little as <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/pricing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$249 per month</a> can get you started with your automation endeavors.&nbsp;



Again, since you do not need to invest in physical devices, your investments are cut down significantly. Your returns on investments will be visible in a shorter time.



Learn More: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/simulator-vs-emulator-vs-real-device/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Simulators Vs Emulator Vs Jasmine</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-am-convinced-but-can-i-trust-testsigma">I am convinced! But, Can I trust Testsigma?</h2>



If you have made it to this point in the post, I am quite sure you are convinced with what this tool has in the box for you. Now the question is, should you or can you trust <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma as your mobile testing solution</a>?&nbsp;



I will start this with a testimonial from a Testsigma customer, &#8220;While other tools we evaluated required programming skills, high initial time and investment, Testsigma&#8217;s scriptless approach enabled us to start automating from week one and achieve 100% smoke coverage in just a couple of months&#8221; &#8211; Senior Engineering Manager, Freshworks.&nbsp;



This is actually true with Testsigma. When you have a tool that accepts tests in English, runs automated tests with CI/CD integrations, has real devices in hand, can test mobile web and native apps, and execute cross-platform tests, you can rest assured at your seat. In case you are stuck at any crossroads, 24&#215;7 help is just a couple of clicks away.&nbsp;



If you opt for Testsigma, you are cutting down your ROI time and making smart and smaller investments for bigger goals. The tool comes with a free trial for people who follow the “use-first-then-trust” policy. Rest assured, by opting for Testsigma you join a list of 200+ happy customers!



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Testsigma as a mobile testing tool how can it help me achieve ROI faster

Testsigma as a Mobile Testing Solution for Faster ROI

According to Gartner, in the second quarter of 2021, mobile phone sales reached <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-09-01-2q21-smartphone-market-share" target="_blank">328.8 million</a> units with an increase of 10.8% year-on-year growth. It is remarkable and quite expected too! 



This outlines the need for using cloud-based automation platforms for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank">mobile testing</a>. Because when we are dealing with huge numbers and a global audience, it is the best bet.



1. Ideal companion of Continuous Testing and Agile



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dfeYYzOGRf12vvcxrLtjXlj0R8HEv_fhL7vcrubawFRr-eChZ91GH6gw1e23pGDWX8dqWWuM3Uu3CgIbMgPKhdeclTI3OhGqtrM_QH_NfyX2d-FQXZunWwgwT_9cxqVVSNDLg4yv=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>Reference: <a href="https://quotesgram.com/img/scrum-funny-quotes/9995035/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://quotesgram.com/img/scrum-funny-quotes/9995035/</a></figcaption></figure></div>



Agile methodology and CI/CD require continuous testing, review, and incorporation of changes quickly on a continuous basis.



<ul class="list_style_disc wp-block-list"><li>Whenever there are code changes and additions, the tests get triggered automatically.</li><li>The test results are evaluated and based on the pass/fail status the code is moved to production.</li><li>&nbsp;If considerable tests have failed then the code will be fixed, tested, and then deployed.</li><li>CI/CD requires all of these steps to run through automation.</li></ul>



For these scenarios, cloud-based testing is the best companion since tests are initiated automatically on all the required mobile devices, without any human intervention. 



Moreover, tools like <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-speed-up-your-software-release-cycles-with-testsigma/" target="_blank">Testsigma require zero time to set up</a> the testing tool and can be used directly via browser from anywhere, anytime.



Unit tests, functional tests, regression tests, performance tests, etc. are executed via cloud-based testing seamlessly. Automation testing on the cloud helps in moving the new code quickly into production and having a good market capture ultimately.



2. Provides cost control



When mobile test automation infrastructure is set up, the associated costs are as below:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Acquisition of physical devices</li><li>Setting up space for the lab</li><li>Upgrade/Wear and tear of devices/Maintenance</li><li>Procurement and licensing cost of testing tools, software, third party installations</li><li>Network setup</li><li>Training costs if the programming language or test tool is new to the team</li><li>Security measures to keep the vulnerabilities away</li></ul>



Above are the direct costs, which are incurred on an upfront basis. On the contrary, when the mobile testing is automated on the cloud, costs are saved in several instances-



<ul class="list_style_disc wp-block-list"><li>No physical acquisition of devices needed</li><li>No need for extra space for setting up the lab</li><li>Wear, tear, and, maintenance is taken care of by the service provider</li><li>No need to set up the cloud or network</li><li>No training is required if a codeless test automation tool (such as <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a> which uses simple English for test creation) is used</li><li>Licensing costs, third party installations are managed by the service provider</li><li>Security measures, policies, and agreements are maintained and followed by the service provider</li></ul>



The <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-are-some-benefits-of-doing-automation-testing-on-the-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cloud automation testing</a> services are on a pay-per-use basis, and the service charges are minimal as compared to the services provided. This saves a lot of upfront and indirect costs for an organization.



3. Better time management



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/EzItDoGLrUpGhJiKETmwVhHix3UUOz04ctU09y-SIK2JxoPiNW6-ymCxGx6XHeiI2lMeG_pTaLvnOZuU5670PZ-S_GtZtrDV8Ybsewd0ahx8X760IZy0SdIcXYJ9Us6cNqdcdQWu=s0" alt="Time estimation for testing activities" width="400"/><figcaption>Reference: <a href="https://www.apriorit.com/qa-blog/197-testing-time-estimation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.apriorit.com/qa-blog/197-testing-time-estimation</a> </figcaption></figure></div>



Automation testing has numerous benefits, the most important is time efficiency. Automation helps to test faster since it can be run 24&#215;7, round the clock, around the globe, and parallelly.&nbsp;



During the automated mobile testing process below are the areas where time is spent considerably for setting up test automation:



<ul class="list_style_disc wp-block-list"><li>Acquire devices</li><li>Set up devices, network, and infrastructure</li><li>Install the required software, browsers, etc.</li><li>Testing tools, IDE’s, third-party integrations</li><li>Maintain and upgrade whenever there are new versions of software released in the market</li></ul>



This incurred time adds up to the overall testing time or more precisely delay.&nbsp;



Cloud-based automation testing removes all these roadblocks from the whole testing process because there is zero setup time. The time-consuming activities of procuring, updating, maintaining the environment are already taken care of by the cloud service provider. Also, the test execution is totally automated, this is really a time saver!



Therefore, when mobile test automation is combined with cloud-based testing platforms &#8211; the time efficiency is increased manifolds.&nbsp;



4. Infrastructure management is delegated



According to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405005747/en/Cloud-Infrastructure-Services-Market---Need-to-Optimize-Project-Management-Drives-Growth-Technavio" target="_blank">Technavio</a> market research analysts, the global cloud infrastructure services market will grow at a CAGR of over 28% during the forecast period 2018-2022.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ez6JTmQzIli2Yv6MoT5nV2FDx28Iweu23bjARana5ox8_2y-wH_ps5tNp0gsN-7zLu6zdhDqT6fk2CD0ymt4kQiotRjXToUsGfhvfiQA_h8tYPFMYbgXTg4q3CG6sAa4bqxel93M=s0" alt="Cloud Infrastructure market growth 2018-2022" width="400"/><figcaption>Reference: <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405005747/en/Cloud-Infrastructure-Services-Market---Need-to-Optimize-Project-Management-Drives-Growth-Technavio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405005747/en/Cloud-Infrastructure-Services-Market&#8212;Need-to-Optimize-Project-Management-Drives-Growth-Technavio</a></figcaption></figure></div>



Cloud-based testing provides the opportunity to delegate the IT and infrastructure management tasks to the service provider. This takes away a chunk of responsibilities from the organization’s IT team and thus reduces effort on their part. 



The service providers have a dedicated team for the same purpose and customer support is available 24*7. This increases the reliability, availability, and scalability of the infrastructure.



5. Great quality and test coverage



Physically setting up thousands of devices for perfect test coverage is unachievable and painful. Without great test coverage, the product quality is bound to degrade, and we want to avoid this at all costs!



The cloud-based automation testing platforms provide access to thousands of real test devices in no time. Just pay and start using immediately, this ensures testing on a wide range of required devices. 



Moreover, these tools provide the capability to test 24*7, parallelly, and from anywhere. You just need a browser and internet connection to get started! With these features, the test coverage can be extended and a great quality product is the result of it, which everyone aspires to achieve.



6. Distributed testing across locations



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Mcr6FhhfiWNAgyvT_24btRzmQDUJMdfY0lT7Llyt5hLCE6d50uao_4D7htYdFFQFoREVNc-_IF1f-mKIx9WGIdRQ-vSd1UPtVkr-UqAovqK_CXDR0xbII5CFQIHeOeCFD5mx1oPj=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/background" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Background vector created by brgfx &#8211; www.freepik.com</a></figcaption></figure></div>



Today we live in a small world, and we are connected 24*7 with people around the globe. Cloud-based automation tools provide the ability to test from multiple locations in different time zones with minimal changes in the tests. 



This ensures that the product is market-ready to be released for a global audience as well. Imagine the effort it will require if we try to do it with the actual physical devices.&nbsp;



7. Results and reviews are real-time and the teams can collaborate better



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/rw_Sbd-b9u_knxmgz34PvTgksZq9Bg6KQDHyw91oEy3rkUdaArh_uFUAH1zeFroI8fr7ELThDtQuJzxwlw4Txeu5JtVjRZ5t90HHNgdMu3PjWTP4_dBOIcEiouN3j2hMTsfLYmxQ=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/calendar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Calendar vector created by pikisuperstar &#8211; www.freepik.com </a></figcaption></figure></div>



In today’s world where teams are distributed, team collaboration is the key to the success of any organization. With cloud-based test automation platforms, the team has access to real-time test results, data, information, and reviews if any &#8211; from any time, anywhere. This facilitates making quick defect fixes and moving the code to production faster.



Also, with the latest information at your fingertips, the best management and business decisions can be made for the overall success of the organization.



8. Scale-up and down as required



Let us take an example of a physical on-premise test lab. The lab has 100 <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/android-device-testing-a-no-hassle-guide-for-testers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android devices for testing</a> activities and now the product is required to be tested on iOS as well. 



This will require procurement of physical iOS devices from the market and then setting up the required application and software manually over them. Additionally, the charging of the devices is also to be taken care of manually.



Does it look like a lot of work? Yes, it is. However, let us assume that the enthusiastic IT team completed the task successfully and the iOS devices are also ready for testing. 



Down the line, the iOS mobile app did not work as expected and the market share reduced considerably. So the organization decided to remove the iOS offering and keep only the Android version of the app.&nbsp;



Next question is &#8211; what will happen to the newly procured iOS devices? Time, money, and effort all got wasted! This whole sequence of events and misfortune could have been avoided by using cloud-based mobile testing tools which provide the easiest options to scale up or scale down as per your requirement.



9. Stringent security measures are present



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CM4fYckg54iOSmJ7rCM__HZym1Kqb1PGP0aTAW6CxXL_GoPkvxDLnpaayFsZdt5Foqvcuf_5Eft5D6ilDxnz7_wyeIc5Wf6CdsRancHL_wHa2JQ-yaK2PXb6Yu02tgVfPQP8hIcm=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/background" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Background vector created by freepik &#8211; www.freepik.com</a></figcaption></figure></div>



There is a myth doing rounds in the market that the cloud-based test automation tools are not secure. It may be true for some tools however, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/is-testsigma-secure-for-your-organization/" target="_blank">top-notch quality tools like Testsigma</a> understand the criticality of security concerns.



They have security measures in place to keep your data, test scripts, and other sensitive information completely secure. Moreover, you have an option to use VPN to connect to your own on-premise lab via Testsigma and test securely.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Why_Testsigma_for_mobile_test_automation_on_the_cloud">1 Why Testsigma for mobile test automation on the cloud?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">2 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="why-testsigma-for-mobile-test-automation-on-the-cloud">Why Testsigma for mobile test automation on the cloud?</h2>



Testsigma is a completely cloud-based test automation tool that lets you automate your web, mobile as well as API tests from the same place. Not only that, it makes it very easy to create and maintain your test cases. You can create your test cases in simple English which is just as easy as documenting your tests for the first time.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5ilE76qR-i9Kqm7hrPsWgCrJzQj1cp4C0I8IEQwUai-4SbYAvYQfxcndUFhzOll1xdyt8HrqdRJXElMW1Rh9ZeppvR5lNFQ5YIgWmP858DCtteB19UEu-vFZ8-a-qLt4tC9_rI6a=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/></figure></div>



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Review more features that can help here: <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma for mobile test automation on the cloud</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



The current digital landscape is huge and it is bound to grow leaps and bounds in the coming years. This clearly states adopting cloud-based test automation is the need of the hour to stay relevant.



This fact is further endorsed by the plethora of cloud-based automation tools available today. The key is to recognize the testing requirements and choose a good tool that fulfils the requirements completely. 



Cloud-based tools have a lot of advantages over traditional automation testing, however, it is the choice of tool which matters the most for a&nbsp; successful product release.

What are the advantages of automating your mobile testing on the cloud?

We, engineers, love automation! We love it so much that we devise new ways all the time to incorporate automation in each and every field of software development. Today, automation is like the fuel that keeps the project going and helps us finish within deadlines and allotted budget. 



But automation is most needed to manage the responsibility of something that is <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/245501/multiple-mobile-device-ownership-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">14.9 billion in number</a> and has become the part and parcel of our lives; the mobile phone. Mobile applications are taking the world by storm. 2021 alone is seeing <a href="https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1262892/mobile-app-revenue-worldwide-by-segment">693 billion USD</a> in revenue from mobile apps. 



Web developers are moving their focus from desktop-first to mobile-first web design which further solidifies our understanding of how important this pocket device has become.



 When something steals the show by this nature and everyone begins to notice, it results in fierce competition and a race to be the most popular, on top, and the best! The frequent mobile app updates are living evidence of this claim. What could be the best choice to cut down the costs and gain speed to move the pipeline faster than test automation? 



Mobile devices are the most fragmented thing you will ever work with while developing software. From operating systems to versions to hardware specs, mobile devices stand unique even after being billions in number. 



Such a fragmented world is impossible to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-convert-manual-test-cases-into-automated-test-cases-and-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test through manual work and hence the call for test automation</a> in mobile becomes a necessity while developing an application. But this is not as easy as it may sound. 



Automation does bring out some fruitful benefits that reap throughout the season but implementing mobile test automation also puts up some roadblocks that are best to be considered before initiating the process. 



In this post, we shall go through the same challenges that <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank">mobile test automation</a> brings with itself and analyze the methods by which we can tackle them.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Variety_of_Device_Settings">1 Variety of Device Settings</a></li><li><a href="#Moulding_Automation_Approach_with_Application">2 Moulding Automation Approach with Application</a></li><li><a href="#Training_and_Selecting_Right_Tool_Stack">3 Training and Selecting Right Tool Stack</a></li><li><a href="#Collaboration_with_Multiple_Teams">4 Collaboration with Multiple Teams</a></li><li><a href="#Too_Frequent_Versions">5 Too Frequent Versions</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="variety-of-device-settings">Variety of Device Settings</h2>



Test automation in conventional software is straightforward. With fixed targets and no external factor to depend on, writing automation test scripts becomes easy. A mobile device is a different story though. 



The functionality and usability of applications on mobile devices can be influenced by multiple other factors. For example, checking the impact on functionalities because of the change in network bandwidth is an important scenario to judge the mobile application’s performance, and including it in the automation script could be a tough job. 



But testing this is essential too because data communication over the network cannot be eliminated by putting all the files into the device storage. That way the application becomes a heavy download (and update) for the user and also occupies a big space on one of the most precious things on a mobile device: the storage space. Some such similar challenges are: 



<ul class="list_style_disc wp-block-list"><li>Network Related Settings</li><li>Orientation Settings.</li><li>Side-By-Side View for multi-tasking.</li><li>Accessibility settings for challenged users.</li></ul>



Also, along with it, some mobile devices offer specific settings such as adjustable windows, etc.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/zlElgfgNSIp63V48hLIcAe5e0JYi2i9HUkDHVrfncT00QNPyZLAjF0oKsT_1r9meVZKjQCWaxSr_wHj8uYaNm4VSY0AfNe6DnGD0QoZXf9JM9Bp2Ygu0WL_mkrmtraNsiLo0NSsE" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.norebbo.com/google-android-illustrations/" target="_blank">https://www.norebbo.com/google-android-illustrations/</a>



Can we tackle this challenge in mobile test automation? Actually, only partially. Mobile devices are very diverse and so is their settings list. Practically, these settings are one of the top reasons that have kept manual testing alive in this area. 



But, on the other hand, things are progressing too. Online mobile test automation tools have started to develop setting-based software through which we can write scripts of network bandwidth being “4G” and for orientation of the mobile device. One such tool that can help you achieve the above tasks is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank">Testsigma</a>. 



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To read more about mobile testing, check out the <a href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">mobile testing guide here</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="moulding-automation-approach-with-application">Moulding Automation Approach with Application</h2>



An important part of working in an organization based on a mobile application is that feedbacks are prompt and the team cannot ignore them. With such high competition in every field, the one who works on feedbacks leads the race in the market. 



To gather more and more feedback from the user, developers often use multiple ways for the same. For example, prompting the user regularly with a pop-up, emailing them regularly for feedbacks or picking the feedbacks from app hosting platforms such as the play store.&nbsp; 



An important part of working in a team that works on developing a mobile application is that the mobile application goes through multiple changes quickly. These changes are driven by user needs and feedback and are essential to keep up with the competition.



So, how does test automation relate here? When we work regularly on adding updates/feedbacks for a long time, the application might take a new form. There will be a lot of arrangements, new additions, deletions etc.



 With such a reformed application, the older automation scripts will not work properly. As a result, we can relate the test automation to a machine that needs servicing regularly with regular checks and regular updates into the system. 



If the feedbacks are too much, the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/top-test-automation-challenges-to-look-out-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automation changes regularly and thus become a challenge for the organisation slowing</a> down every other process in the pipeline.&nbsp; 



This challenge is the easiest to tackle among all the others. The basic thing to remember is to write minimum cases and scripts that can easily be changed later to change to accommodate new changes. 



Practically, we can’t write cases that will never be changed even if the application has reformed with time. But keeping them to a minimum is the best way to go. 



Also, list down all those cases that have the potential to be changed later and the cases that have dependencies on them. Too many dependencies can lead to the same disastrous consequences that we are trying to avoid from the beginning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="training-and-selecting-right-tool-stack">Training and Selecting Right Tool Stack</h2>



Automation in mobile testing is a bit tough, as already portrayed in this post. It takes a bit of cost in the beginning too and the device settings make it more troublesome. Therefore, it is extremely important to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-open-source-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">choose the tool stack that can fulfil all your mobile application test automation</a> needs. 



But there is a dilemma here. We cannot go ahead and choose the first tool we see as best. What if no one in our team is trained to operate on the tool? That’s an extra cost of training and delayed project deadlines right there!&nbsp; 



So the dilemma comes down to should we go ahead and choose the best tool and put a cost on training? Or should we choose the most known tool and put a cost on manual testing? 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Rj9xKfh7Rv60-HvV3SR10nRnB6GFowmWyuxqb8Fz8wZOqhkV0EJlMhW_8FpwFvOHeYyu1xI45yDd9SBzpSfs1MOPqHqn-xZvarSe5yK5-k81krFJZunalhTG7PecSzeYnfGCgnfW" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



Source: <a href="https://www.greymatterrecruitment.co.uk/blog/only-half-of-marketers-have-training-in-key-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.greymatterrecruitment.co.uk/blog/only-half-of-marketers-have-training-in-key-skills/</a>



Being in a good position in your testing team, such a question will definitely cross your path. The best method to tackle this challenge is to choose the best tool (because that’s the best bet in the long run) and the tool should have strong documentation that can help teammates learn on their own. 



Documentations are extremely important to pull you up whenever you get stuck in between or want to know what wonders the tool can perform. One such tool that can help you in mobile test automation and has solid documentation with step-wise processes is Testsigma. 



With Testsigma support, you can contact its support executives for any problems within seconds through the chat feature. Testsigma also gives you detailed documentation and examples to perform certain tasks such as creating a local tunnel etc.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="collaboration-with-multiple-teams">Collaboration with Multiple Teams</h2>



As time passes, the mobile applications become complex and modules become diverse. As a result, the company hires more people and expands its wings in the market. These teams do not always know each other in person but a simple ticket is their only source of connection. 



In mobile test automation, while teams work on different modules, collaboration becomes a little difficult. There are a lot of people involved in writing the test cases, a different set of people setting them up in your CI/CD pipeline and then other people reading the error reports and working on them. All of them have to be in sync and hence it becomes a challenge for everyone.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sRiCY21RJ25VJ-2TcDzdBb-tmJmx08DpD5XjAB0h94bkoP9T0fxsV8_dSTtmmS7X2tOHfsbtqV8wmB5T-zD-b20uzbI-dU_VdDRCSaoEGo1s1ttDdNE6irn4SdU0H1PtafNS3i45" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.twitter.com" target="_blank">www.twitter.com</a>



The best method to tackle this challenge is the tool you choose for mobile test automation. Tools have evolved over the years to not only support the capabilities of a mobile device but also the teams working behind it to make it better. Collaborative tools are one such solution. 



Collaborative tools perform mobile automation with multiple people together on a single problem such as improving or writing automation test cases. Collaborative tools also help in sharing the final test reports with other team members or having a single central repo where all of them can look into (if they have rights).&nbsp; 



A mobile test automation tool with collaborative properties is the best way to go, this tool should allow you to share the reports and help write tests together as well. TestSigma helps you in such regards by allowing you to give different rights to different people in a project.



 With Testsigma, mobile <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ios-testing-frameworks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test automation for iOS</a> as well as Android can be done from the same place. People<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing-tools" target="_blank"> can easily automate</a> and collaborate to work together as a team on different assigned projects, generate reports and share them automatically. Also, this is completely cloud-based and the test automation can be started within minutes of signing up. 



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="too-frequent-versions">Too Frequent Versions</h2>



Automation is costly in nature. From implementing to licensing, automation can take up a huge cost in the beginning but it eventually evens out with time. The only thing that mobile test automation takes up more than automation is maintenance. 



Different mobile devices keep coming into the market. With each new device, a new screen size, new hardware, and other new specifications arrive that need testing.&nbsp; 



Even if we leave aside the multiple devices, each year Android gets its new update, then iOS and other open-source operating systems too. With each new version, loads of new features arrive for which newer tests need to be written. 



Also, as these operating systems arrive in the market, we need to delete the older operating systems and their tests too. All this becomes a heavy challenge in automation as maintenance becomes very high. 



Unfortunately, this is one such challenge we will face in automation that is not easy to tackle. There will always be an influx of operating systems and versions and they will always ask for optimizations. There will always be code that will be old enough to delete and there will always be newer features that will ask for new code. 



All we can do is to visit this issue regularly in the organization and do not let the work pile up. Hence, there is no shortcut to bypass this challenge and hence if we are dealing with mobile applications, we will have to deal with this too.



This brings us to the end of this post that took us through some of the challenges in mobile <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/top-automated-testing-practices-to-follow/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test automation and how they can be tackled using practical</a> examples. I hope with this post, you will be prepared better for your automation journey. 



Automation is a bit tricky but the results cut down our time and costs(which every organization loves). If you have any suggestions and comments, don’t forget to put them down below in the comment section. We will be happy to address them. Till then, happy mobile automation testing!!

Challenges of mobile test automation and how to tackle them?

Selenium and Mobile Test Automation - Can Selenium Be Used for Mobile Testing?

Selenium Mobile Testing Setup: Tips and Best Practices

Mobile Web Testing: Testsigma vs Appium

Mobile apps are not just the following (or current) big thing. They have become a part of our lives — in a way, steering our choices and decisions. By merely sitting on our couch, we apply for jobs, manage our projects, talk to our friends, order essentials, and even pay our bills. The need to test real mobile devices has rapidly increased with such a significant trend.



The convenience is unsurpassable, and thanks to the user-friendly functionalities, even our grandparents seamlessly book cabs, play games, and video calls us.&nbsp; 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CNtoN8LsTqrjsrblN0NGq9DOc28gg84HUAUyV9HBveUr3ZAR_03J6PmavsE_txxTim_3eUbchX4u5wolViDwPDPyT--7Lkg7VN30leFc7Kzhw7ibuzSFtyiy85yBHkMTpe8wcJlB" alt="Meme on Mobile app"/></figure></div>



Mobile apps are here to stay. Imagine the possibilities. According to GoodFirm’s <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.goodfirms.co/resources/app-download-usage-statistics-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global survey</a>, at least 31.85% of survey participants have 21-40 apps installed, while 8.87% have over 100 apps.&nbsp; 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TIohCgguMXGV3KWayGNrldFCEmW3oQ4CaP439ooZ0md7FXGy0_oJeQU9hAcVJ3H9o1q-Lc6ee5ZTm9U48AfdU7t5JFtdTOprmioLBb91zNiZkfcvtr37hY1ht2eLHSigcMIoyiu8" alt="No of Apps Installed in User's Mobile"/></figure></div>



The research also states that an average user consumes at least 13 apps in a day ranging from <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">software testing apps</a> to <a href="https://pora.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skin care apps</a> and more. Another interesting statistic to look at is the surge in the mobile app revenue. Moreover, the global revenue in 2018 was 365 billion USD, projected to be 693 billion USD in 2021, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1262892/mobile-app-revenue-worldwide-by-segment">Statista</a>. 



Besides, global users have shelled out a total of 28 billion USD on mobile apps by the third quarter of 2020, says <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.marketingcharts.com/digital/mobile-phone-115281" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marketing Charts</a>. Take a look at the following chart for a better understanding. 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5RaOqWuL9F60xeRwXjfgmq_pjG9F-4BCFQjsQ3SRNhhy_rB2hsaPO_HldA3zbOlqtOd0Z49K-nvqrRsUaQykoupkmaM6rBer5tYAdJ2eQ79IvyLPY2gyhRETBeabTg-WhBdqrgkx" alt="Global Mobile App Spending and Downloads"/></figure></div>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Why_is_Mobile_Device_Testing_Important">1 Why is Mobile Device Testing Important?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Do_You_Need_Real_Mobile_Devices_for_Testing">2 Why Do You Need Real Mobile Devices for Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion:</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-mobile-device-testing-important">Why is Mobile Device Testing Important?</h2>



Now that we&#8217;ve understood the big picture, knowing what goes into building a successful mobile app remains. Mobile app testing is unarguably an imperative process for apps to perform the way it&#8217;s should. M<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/testsigma-as-a-mobile-testing-tool-how-can-it-help-me-achieve-roi-faster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obile app testing</a> is unarguably a critical process. It fixes any potential errors before the apps go into the production server.&nbsp;



What could pose a challenge, though, is that users consume apps on different devices. Every device is differently wired, and some may not support a few apps due to outdated software, old processors, etc. 



A few mobile brands also have their software builds. According to <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Statcounter</a>, the worldwide market share of Android users is 72.48%, with iOS at 26. 91%. The <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-version-market-share/android/mobile-tablet/worldwide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stats</a> also show that Android versions like 4.4, 5.1, and 6.0 are still in use. 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZhvXjtu7mjwdvZ66XM3gLMRpxJ--RFpIDnlrVn-hMoT2Ja3yWGfdoLH_runM_TElbuImMUHsvTXkHZZ8ONhxcgjA2XbVPjaJNT-h_s6lVnvYC16zoJYv17PhdzMrGqtYo7yLwgLz" alt="Mobile and Tablet Android Version Market Share"/></figure></div>



You get the drift — the market is enormous. And you cannot possibly test your apps manually on different devices with different versions of OS. This is where automated mobile app testing comes to play. Offering you the flexibility to deliver faster in a test-driven development environment, automation testing is a proven work through. 



You can also read more details about Mobile testing in the guide <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



We&#8217;ve talked about automation testing of mobile UI and how to perform it in-depth <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-perform-mobile-automation-testing-of-the-ui/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. We recommend looking at it if you&#8217;re starting on automated mobile app testing.&nbsp; 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-you-need-real-mobile-devices-for-testing">Why Do You Need Real Mobile Devices for Testing?</h2>



Finally, let&#8217;s get to the core of our conversation — do we need real mobile devices?&nbsp;



With the speed at which technology advances, mobile users have developed zero tolerance for slow or buggy apps. And remember that our users consume our apps on real devices, and factors like low battery, poor WiFi, and outdated software can affect the app&#8217;s performance. 



While a few argue that emulators serve the purpose of testing an app, unless you&#8217;re only testing the UI, they are not sufficient. If your apps use cameras, additional sensors like fingerprint, ambient light, etc., you must try them on real mobile devices. After all, what&#8217;s the point of having a feature that doesn&#8217;t support all devices? 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p2Om7HVKWJN15QnGoFJ2F0-B4KrRBiwSU-SBPqnl5Cg4krCc1QLXFY16QMcmQ-id8EInEp7BR17vc4LVCaX3DjvCHfU3FIf4agCEOmDs_9b-19TKkiRR66W8530iHiMipoKM4ujX" alt="Cartoon on Mobile App"/></figure></div>



It&#8217;s humanly impossible to test all the app features on different devices manually. Besides, it&#8217;s not cost-effective. Find this intimidating? Fret not — Testsigma offers a reliable <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated mobile app testing tool</a> with the option to execute your tests on thousands of real devices efficiently. Testsigma isn&#8217;t just a mobile app testing tool. It is a unified test automation ecosystem for your web, mobile apps, and APIs that handle more than just mobile app testing. 



Our no-code tool offers testers a simple way of writing test cases. The tool lets you automate test cases written in English and can be integrated with various project management tools.&nbsp; 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WmZ_MHdYJGjC20oOA78m2ypuzgGNxkoAYbd7s2rOtIH8Kd-CbAmSSZZFfnjpe_LtyPuGKoxvd5VRiimXXc4fED_qSAMLuCMA_rjdn-fJuvP9JeziTKeJMLi4Uc1ASMbPGonWPlNd" alt="Testsigma No Code Tool"/></figure></div>



We also recommend looking at our <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blog post</a>, where we take you through automating mobile apps using Testsigma. It&#8217;s that simple. While launching an app is one thing, handling its updates is a different ball game altogether. 



We use an AI engine that can handle ongoing updates without affecting the app. This engine can also detect errors that are shared in real-time through email, Slack, Teams, etc. Besides, all tests are carried out on a secure and scalable cloud, so scalability isn&#8217;t a problem. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="conclusion">Conclusion:</h2>



In closing, real mobile devices are required for automated mobile app testing; otherwise, <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-is-the-best-way-for-automated-mobile-browser-testing-on-real-devices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">real mobile devices are necessary for automated mobile app testing</a>; otherwise, all our efforts and tests are fragmented and futile. <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> can empower you to build a competitive advantage in the evolving mobile app market.&nbsp; 



Sounds interesting? Let&#8217;s have a conversation; Testsigma is offering a free 21-day trial for you to experience the product. Check it out <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. 



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Automated mobile app testing - do you really need real mobile devices?

Automated Mobile App Testing – Do You Really Need Real Mobile Devices?

Top 4 UI Frameworks For Android Automation Testing

Top 4 Android UI Testing Frameworks List to Look For

A quote from Tim Cook says- &#8220;When you care about people&#8217;s happiness and productivity, you give them what brings out the best in them and their creativity. And if you give them a choice, they&#8217;ll say, &#8216;I want an iPhone,&#8217; or &#8216;I want a Mac.&#8217; We think we can win a lot of corporate decisions at that level.&#8221; It is a fact that we all use smartphones and mobile apps on a day-to-day basis. Whether at a cafe, commuting by train, or sitting on the beach staring at the waves while surfing the Internet, we are all connected no matter where we are. And with technological advances, everything has become more straightforward andaccessible. But let&#8217;s face reality: not everything can be made better with just an engineering tweak here or there; the user experience is essential for successful applications across all platforms, and for that, we need &#8220;Automated iOS Tests.&#8221; 



This says a lot about the love for the iPhone we all have! So how do the testing community ensure that this love for iPhone and iOS apps grows manifolds with time? True! With quality testing and automation, we can ensure the iPhone provides the best experience to its loyal users.&nbsp; 



In this article, we will be looking at <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mobile testing</a> for iOS. More specifically, 5 types of tests that are recommended to be automated if you are doing iOS testing. 



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Types_of_Tests_for_Automated_iOS_Test_with_Scenarios">1 Types of Tests for Automated iOS Test (with Scenarios)</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Unit_Testing">1.1 1. Unit Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario">1.1.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#2_UI_Testing">1.2 2. UI Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario-2">1.2.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#3_Compatibility_Testing">1.3 3. Compatibility Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Types_of_compatibility_testing">1.4 Types of compatibility testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenarionbsp_nbspnbspnbspnbsp">1.4.1 Scenario:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#4_Continuous_Integration">1.5 4. Continuous Integration</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario-3">1.5.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#5_Regression_Testing">1.6 5. Regression Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario-4">1.6.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-types-of-tests-for-automated-ios-test-with-scenarios">Types of Tests for Automated iOS Test (with Scenarios)</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="1-unit-testing">1. Unit Testing</h3>



Unit testing is really important for an application because we test the smallest units or components in it. We test an independent module in isolation during unit testing. These are small tests where the input is provided to the small unit of the app and the output is checked against the expected values. 



Since they are small tests they can be executed quickly in less time. However, unit tests are the most ignored tests when it comes to app testing. If utilized properly they help in reducing the defects immensely because the bugs are caught at the unit level itself. 



Therefore, unit tests are the ideal candidates for automation because they execute quickly and are huge in number. Usually, the unit tests are the specific condition in a class, where the class is independent of other classes. Unit tests provide documentation of the testing at the unit level and hence during any code changes we know already which code may cause issues. 



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://developer.apple.com/swift/" target="_blank">Swift</a> is a modern and latest programming language for writing code for macOS, iOS, watchOS, etc. It is safe, fast, compatible, open-source, and easy to learn. To write Swift code we use an IDE(Integrated Development Environment) or toolkit called <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://developer.apple.com/xcode/" target="_blank">Xcode</a>, they both are backed by Apple. 



Interestingly, Xcode provides a testing framework called <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest" target="_blank">XCTest</a> to write unit tests, performance tests, and UI tests. The test cases are defined using the primary class &#8211; XCTestCase, while the test cases are managed and executed using the abstract base class &#8211; XCTest. 



The test cases are run and asserted(checked) against the expected results. A few of the assertions used in XCTest are:



<ul class="list_style_disc wp-block-list"><li>Boolean assertions</li><li>Nil/ Non-Nil assertions</li><li>Equality assertions</li><li>Error assertions</li><li>Comparable value assertions</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="scenario-1">Scenario:</h4>



Rare conditions are better tested using unit testing. Example: Consider an e-commerce app that is running an offer of providing 50% off on the next order to the customer. To win this offer, the customer should have bought 1000 orders from the app. 



To test this, the tester should either manually place 1000 orders and wait if the customer receives a 50% off or not. Or just run an automated unit test to check the results are as expected.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-ui-testing">2. UI Testing</h3>



User Interface testing is vital for the success of any app, be it Android or iOS. In UI testing, we test the visual behaviour of the application during user interaction. iOS-based gestures, user interactions, screen rotation, text input, buttons, etc, should work as expected on the iOS app. Unlike unit tests which are tested in isolation, UI testing is performed on the integration of the multiple classes. 



The common frameworks and tools for performing automated UI testing on iOS are &#8211; UIAutomation, <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a>, XCTest, MonkeyTalk, KIF, etc. 



We should automate the UI testing due to the below reasons:



1. Saves time&#8211; Manual testing is time-consuming and we want to save our precious time to do some other useful stuff like &#8211; exploratory testing, ad-hoc testing, etc.



2. Documented testing&#8211; With automation testing tools/frameworks, it is easier to have the whole testing process documented with screenshots, reports, test results, test run time, etc. We can use these documented statistics to improve the testing and application performance.



3. Testing on real devices&#8211; These automation testing tools, provide access to thousands of real devices to run test cases. Particularly in the case of iOS, we would want the test cases to be run and the application tested on actual real devices.



4. Parallel testing&#8211; Automated testing tools provide the privilege of testing the iOS app on multiple devices in parallel. This helps us in wrapping up the testing tasks quickly.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="scenario">Scenario:</h4>



Screen orientation (portrait, landscape) related testing is really important when we are talking about UI testing. Example: A new functionality is added in a gaming iOS application and is unit tested successfully. Next, regression testing is performed on the app using an automation tool to detect any regression bugs. 



It is observed that when the layout is changed from landscape to portrait during the game then the application crashes unexpectedly. Such layout related issues can be detected during automated UI testing.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="3-compatibility-testing">3. Compatibility Testing</h3>



During compatibility testing of an application, we check the compatibility of the application with multiple devices, hardware, software versions, network, operating systems, and browsers, etc. During backward compatibility testing we will ensure that the latest application version is compatible with the older devices/ browsers/ hardware. 



Similarly, during forward compatibility testing, we ensure that the latest application version will be compatible with the new patches and updates to the device software. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="types-of-compatibility-testing">Types of compatibility testing </h3>



1. Operating System



The application should work on all intended Operating Systems and their versions &#8211; Android, iOS, Mac OS X, Windows, etc. Here we are talking about iOS, so the app should work on all common iOS versions, providing backward and forward compatibility. 



2. Hardware



We would want the iOS app to work on all probable and commonly used hardware configurations like- memory, device-specific hardware, camera, etc. 



3. Software



The app should support the software components like APIs, videos, voice, images, etc. present on the device without undergoing any application crash or hanging. 



4. Browser



Safari is the native browser for all Apple products, however, we can use Google Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera Touch, Dolphin, etc. on an iOS device. Therefore, we would want to test all the possible alternatives of the browsers for our iOS application. 



5. Device



We would want our iOS app to be compatible with other external devices like printers, memory cards, scanners, speakers, GPS, USB devices, etc. 



6. Network



The iOS app should work well on the networks of different bandwidths, speeds, data transfer rates, etc.&nbsp; 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="scenario-2">Scenario:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h4>



An iOS movie streaming application should be compatible with all the Apple devices- iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod Touch, and their different versions. We can achieve this by testing the compatibility of the streaming application on all these devices using cloud-based automation tools. Such tools provide thousands of real devices to test the application. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="4-continuous-integration">4. Continuous Integration</h3>



The software world is following Agile and DevOps rigorously today. We cannot think about software development without these, and therefore it is imperative to have mobile app testing follow suite. Continuous Integration helps in providing early feedback, quick delivery, and better quality without any manual intervention. 



CI/CD pipeline works on the strong base of various automation tools. We are using Jenkins and other CI/CD tools to trigger testing whenever a new build is pushed in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/web-application-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">web application development</a>. 



How do we achieve the same impact in mobile app testing?&nbsp; Many automation tools support integration with Jenkins to provide the Continuous Integration and testing of the iOS app. E.g. Testsigma



Read more details and benefits of Continuous Integration and Testing <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-continuous-testing-supercharges-your-automation-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">here</a>. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="scenario-3">Scenario:</h4>



Continuous testing requires help from automated tools like &#8211; GitHub as a repository, Jenkins as CI tool, XCTest for unit testing, etc. CI/CD helps in delivering applications more frequently by the use of extensive automation throughout the application development cycle. 



Whenever a piece of code is pushed in the repository the unit tests are supposed to run automatically. We cannot think of CI/CD without automation tools. For example, the security of the iOS application, signing the application code with proper certificates and entitlements can be taken care of by automation easily.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="5-regression-testing">5. Regression Testing</h3>



During software development, regression testing has always been the best candidate for automation. We do not want our application to break after new enhancements and feature development. So how can we ensure that the app is intact and in great shape? By running automated regression tests after every change. 



By automating the regression tests we can run them in the nightly cycle without manual intervention when everyone is off work. This helps in reducing the testing time and provides faster delivery of the software. The same holds for iOS apps. E.g., We can use XCode’s XCTest to perform regression test cases.



Proper maintenance of the regression suite- by adding relevant test cases and removing the obsolete test cases is required. This way we can benefit from the automated regression test cases to the maximum. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="scenario-4">Scenario:</h4>



Whenever a new version of the iOS operating system is released, the customers want their mobile apps to work efficiently on it. We do not want to upset the customers just because our iOS app is not able to function on the newly released iOS version. 



Therefore, it is the most important scenario where we need to run the regression test suite through automation tools. This instils a sense of confidence among the developers and testers, regarding the mobile application.



Can we skip the testing for iOS devices if the application is already tested on Android? Absolutely no! We need to test the app on both environments separately. We can leverage the help of <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">automated testing tools and frameworks for mobile like Testsigma</a> to speed up the testing and provide a quality product to the end-users. 



Testsigma, an automated testing tool, has transformed the automation world in mobile by making it easy for real. Check out <a href="https://support.testsigma.com/support/solutions/articles/32000023580-ios-native-application-adding-automated-test-steps" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">how to automate your test cases on a native iOS application with Testsigma.&nbsp;</a> 



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5 types of tests that can be automated for your iOS