You are probably familiar with this saying: “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” I have good news for you: if you are a mobile app developer, things are not so tragic. Most likely, your last change will come after the second or even third fail. According to statistics collected back in 2013, if a mobile application gave an error or loading for more than 10 seconds, only 79% of users would want to relaunch it. Not a disaster yet, right? Yes, the opportunity for triumph has already been missed, but there is still hope for success.
Attention: if the same story repeats a second time, only 16% of users will be so optimistic or generous to the developer that they would one more time tap on the icon of his application for the third time. Well, and then – nothing but the abyss of oblivion, and – as a monument to unfulfilled hopes – a lonely star on Google Play.
A grain of sand in the ocean. How to turn into a pearl?
In the first half of 2020, the total number of mobile applications on Google Play and Apple App Store was 7.4 million (3 and 4.4 million, respectively). 100,000 new apps appear on Google Play every month, and over 30,000 on the Apple App Store.
In 2020, mobile users downloaded over 204 billion applications. Note that this does not include reinstallation and re-downloads. This is 45% more than in 2016. Data for 2021 is unavailable since the year has not yet ended, but the numbers are pretty imaginable with exponential dynamics.
It’s easy to feel like a grain of sand in the ocean, isn’t it? But at the same time, for some reason, it turns out that some applications have many millions of downloads, and most remain in obscurity. Why? Is it because programs that are useful and successful in every sense (the code, marketing, visual) are overgrown with positive user reviews and turn into genuine pearls?
The secrets of this phenomenon lie on the surface. One of the essential ingredients for success is thorough automated testing of an application before releasing it to users.
It is about the nuances of Mobile Automation Testing and how to precisely find those QA outsourcing companies that will ensure the success of your development, and we will talk in this article.
Automation Testing for mobile applications. What are the particularities?
Of course, any application needs pre-release testing and, ideally, QA maintenance after each update. However, the conditions and directions in which testing for Windows or macOS is carried out versus a mobile application, especially if it is cross-platform, is like a picture hanging in a frame on a wall compared to the constantly changing patterns in a kaleidoscope.
Not too many variables should be considered when it goes about testing applications for Windows and macOS. It is necessary to consider not too much variability of computer hardware and monitor resolution. Everything is greatly simplified if the required configuration of the workstation is indicated in the conditions for using the program.
However, things change dramatically when it comes to a mobile app. Here, literally, every element plays a decisive role:
- The model of a smartphone or tablet
- The version of Android or iOS
- The aspect ratio of the screen
- The presence of firmware from the manufacturer
- A thousand more variables
Only experienced independent mobile testing services can perform all these tests, including physical testing devices and UI/UX tests, check the stability of work in mobile and Wi-Fi networks, and so on. Of course, if you haven’t your own one.
Trust the experts
Since it is almost impossible to manually simulate all possible conditions in which a mobile application will operate, the automation of all QA processes is the only acceptable solution.
Developing an automated testing strategy for your mobile application involves evaluating many different areas, including the choice of static vs dynamic testing.
Even if you are an experienced software developer but do not have enough experience in organizing Mobile Automation Testing and managing teams of testers, you clearly need the help of an expert.
No places for mistakes
Today, software testing services represent a colossal high-tech IT industry. It is not easy to choose the one that you decide to entrust the work on your application among the endless variety of QA outsourcing companies. When making a choice, try to clarify, first of all for yourself, the following questions.
- Is the QA agency ready to act as an independent expert for you, or are consultations provided only on condition of further cooperation?
- Are you looking for a one-off service or a long-term service?
- Are you willing to pay for speed, or are you ready to take longer or shorter testing times? This question is about the budget. Keep in mind that if you are promised to do everything quickly and cheaply, this is a sure sign that you should look for another QA outsourcing company.
Be sure to take an interest in the company’s portfolio to entrust independent software testing of your application. Take a close look at its success story, talk to the customers who served here, and read the forums and specialized sites.
Summing up
Regardless of which quality assurance outsourcing company you select, remember the main thing: success in this crowded market is impossible without comprehensive mobile automation testing. However, a thorough pre-release preparation of your application and its entry to the market, supported by well-organized promotion and positive feedback from users, is the right way to the list of favorites.
