The current state of mobile testing by stephen janaway

The Current State of Mobile Tes3ng

Stephen Janaway

© Stephen Janaway 2014

Who am I? Stephen Janaway

•  14 years experience in mobile soDware tes3ng.

•  Mobile devices •  Mobile networks •  Mobile applica3ons •  Have worked for companies such as

Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia.

•  Work for the NET-‐A-‐PORTER GROUP.

•  www.stephenjanaway.co.uk •  @stephenjanaway



www.tes3nginthepub.com @tes3nginthepub Search for “Tes3ng In The Pub’” on iTunes

Today

•  A bit of history. •  An overview of mobile. •  Why is mobile different? •  Where are we now? •  What’s next? •  Your mobile tes3ng future.


A Bit of History

"Mobile radio telephone" by Original uploader was Hackgillam at en.wikipedia -‐ Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:LiDarn using CommonsHelper.. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons -‐ h`p://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mobile_radio_telephone.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Mobile_radio_telephone.jpg

A Bit of History

"2007Computex e21-‐Mar3nCooper" by 2007Computex_e21Forum-‐Mar3nCooper.jpg: Rico Shenderiva3ve work: PowellS (talk) -‐ 2007Computex_e21Forum-‐Mar3nCooper.jpg. Licensed under Crea3ve Commons A`ribu3on-‐Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -‐ h`p://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2007Computex_e21-‐Mar3nCooper.jpg#mediaviewer/File:2007Computex_e21-‐

Mar3nCooper.jpg

Mobile devices are

•  Smart Phones •  Feature Phones •  Tablets •  E-‐readers •  Big screens, small screens, touch screens and keypads.


And now…

•  Fitness devices. •  Smart watches. •  Wearable devices. •  Beacons. •  Household gadgets.


Mobile devices are much more •  Alarm Clocks •  Maps •  Link to loved ones •  Hand held shops •  Tickets •  Music Players •  Books •  Games Players •  Cameras •  ……

•  These are key experiences.


WHY IS MOBILE DIFFERENT?


MOBILE USERS ARE MORE EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED

MOBILE USERS ARE NOT SECOND CLASS CITIZENS


?

BUT QUALITY IS CURRENTLY STILL NOT GREAT…

AND USERS INCREASINGLY DON’T TOLERATE THIS

MOBILE USERS CAN LEAVE BAD FEEDBACK MUCH MORE QUICKLY

What Makes Mobile Tes3ng Different?

•  Many plaoorms. •  Many OS versions in the field. •  Many different hardware configura3ons. •  Devices with limited memory and processing capability.

•  Limited ba`ery life. •  Network connec3vity. •  Applica3on stores. •  Low maturity of automa3on solu3ons.


Func3onal Mobile Tes3ng

•  Selec3ng categories. •  Accounts. •  Shopping bag. •  Opening and closing. •  Images.


Usability Ma`ers

•  Usability is more important in the mobile world: –  Smaller screen. – More difficult to interact with and typically used one handed.

Understanding the User

•  In app analy3cs. •  Website analy3cs. •  User persona’s. •  Similar applica3ons.


Consistency

•  Think about what a mobile user would want. •  Something that looks similar to desktop? •  Takes advantage of mobile func3onality: – Loca3on. – Mobile search. – M-‐commerce.

•  A design that can be viewed on a small screen and in bright light.


Engagement

•  People typically have more than one device. •  They get distracted. •  How engaging is your app or mobile website?


Understand Gestures


Mobile specifics

•  Download and install. •  Un-‐install. •  Upgrade. •  Rota3on. •  Sensors. •  Loca3on. •  External media.


Interac3ons

•  While your applica3on runs, the phone is: –  Talking to the network – Working out where you are – Maybe receiving calls, texts, Facebook and Twi`er updates.

•  What happens when you have your applica3on running, and then get a call, and a text, whilst uploading video to YouTube? Test for it and find out.

Performance

•  Limited processor speeds. •  Limited on-‐board memory. •  Typically not turned off very oDen. •  Don’t forget -‐ most apps are just clients to web services. Use your web performance tes3ng skills.


How Much Data?

•  Check for excessive data consump3on. •  Using on device data measuring tools. •  Using a proxy.


The Current State Of Mobile


Subscrip3ons vs. People


The mobile market is huge


It’s Increasingly Smartphones and Tablets


Different OS’s


Different Mobile Browsers


The Future


More Devices = More Tes3ng (?)


More Wearables


OS’s


Source: gs.statcounter.com

Android versions

Source: h`p://opensignal.com/reports/fragmenta3on-‐2013/

Screen Sizes


Deciding What to Test

•  Know your predicated customers (not your current ones).

•  Find out what OS updates are coming up. •  Get as much data on device usage that you can: –  In app analy3cs. – Web searches. – Similar apps.


Fragmenta3on

•  Lots of different hardware and soDware configura3ons to support.

•  Op3ons: – Don’t use them at all – use simulators or user agents.

– Buy all or some of them. – Rent all or some of them. – Use a cloud based service (Perfecto Mobile, DeviceAnywhere).


My Recommenda3on

•  Buy 2 from the top, 2 from the middle and 2 from the bo`om.

•  Understand what your customers use or will use. •  Test first on simulators. •  Use cloud services if needs be, to fill any gaps.

•  Never just use browser emula3on for mobile websites.


Making More Use of Your Users


Dog fooding/ Alpha/ Beta

•  Get an internal user group going. •  Distribute app via TestFlight, TestFairy or similar.

•  Alpha/ Beta test via app stores.


Using Cloud Based Tes3ng Services

Where Appropriate


Not Buying All The Devices


Open Device Labs

•  Borrow devices, normally for free.

•  h`p://opendevicelab.com •  Open Device Labs = shared community pools of internet connected devices for tes3ng purposes.


(Even) More Loca3on Awareness


More Financial Transac3ons Will Happen On Mobile


M-‐Commerce

•  Google Wallet. •  Paypal. •  Scanning barcodes. •  Contactless payments. •  Displaying bar or QR codes. •  Loca3on based.


Security

•  Big recent rise in the amount of malware targeted at mobile devices.


Is This Appropriate?


Smartphones Everywhere = Your App Everywhere


Accessibility

•  How readable is the app/ website with a large font?

•  Is there voice ac3va3on / control? •  Are there text alterna3ves to images? •  Tools: – TalkBack (Android) – Voice Over (iOS)


Media Usage Is Changing


We Are Consuming Content Differently


Voice Ac3va3on

•  Siri – iOS •  Google Now – Android •  Also on Windows Phone and Blackberry. •  Is the app voice ac3vated? •  What happens when you ac3vate voice with the app running?


It’s No Longer OK to Have a Bad Mobile Presence



?

Responsive Design


h`p://designmodo.com/responsive-‐test/

Your Mobile Tes3ng Future

You Can Avoid The Common Mobile Tes3ng Gotcha’s


Only Tes3ng On Simulators


Using Simulators and Browser Emula3on

•  Simulators: – Normally found within OS SDKs. – Good to start tes3ng with. – Do not recreate exactly how a device func3ons.

•  Browser Emula3on: – User Agent Switching: – Within a browser (Chrome developer tool is best). – Changes how the browser renders the page.


Real Devices

•  Keep a device library or rent devices from one. •  Cannot pick all devices. •  Choose a few at the top and a few at the bo`om – device ranking.

•  Do not forget to find out what is being used by customers.

•  Can be expensive and needs maintenance.


Staying In The Office


Don’t Just Test Here…

On Here, and At Here…

Out Here…

In Here…

Forgeung About Ba`ery Life


Ba`ery Life


Forgeung That It Takes Time To Submit Apps


Apps Stores •  Submission criteria vary:


Store Time Details

Apple Apps Store 2 weeks Significant checking/ tes3ng

Google Play ½ day Limited tes3ng

Windows Phone Store

4 days

Blackberry World 1 day

Amazon App Store 1-‐2 weeks

Ignoring OS Updates


OS Updates

•  Always regression test your app or website before an OS update.

•  Get on the developer program for early OS versions.

•  Users update more quickly on iOS than Android.

•  Carriers oDen control update cycles. •  Decide beforehand how many OS version you will/ can support.


Confusing Dev With Live


Thinking Mobile Test Automa3on Is Like the Web Test Automa3on


Automa3on

•  The holy grail to solving the fragmenta3on tes3ng problem?

•  Caveat – mobile test automa3on is like desktop test automa3on 6 years ago.

•  You may want to consider pushing for more unit and integra3on tests before spending 3me on mobile UI automa3on.


Some Op3ons Tool OS Comments

Appium iOS/ Android Probably the best out there, but s3ll flaky

iOS Driver iOS OK but cannot test apps on real devices

Frank iOS Cannot test Webviews

Zucchini iOS Cannot test Webviews

Calabash iOS/ Android Requires embedded server

Robo3um Android Android only

Selendroid Android Used at Facebook

Monkey Talk iOS/ Android Requires agent to be added to app.

And many, many more, some of which are even s3ll supported….


Automa3on Sugges3ons

•  Determine if you require cross plaoorm support.

•  Avoid tools that use embedded servers or agents – they alter the produc3on code.

•  Look for tools with ac3ve online communi3es. •  Consider the future.


My Picks •  Appium: –  Cross plaoorm. – Well supported user community. – About to be more closely integrated in Selenium 3.

•  iOS Driver: – Well supported user community. – About to be more closely integrated in Selenium 3.

•  Calabash: – Well supported user community. – Heavily used at the BBC.


So……

Mobile Test Strategy – Top 5 Tips 1.  Understand the poten3al user: – Which plaoorms and devices will they use? –  How will they use the app or website?

2.  Understand what OS versions are being used and when new ones are coming.

3.  Test using simulators, real devices and users. 4.  Understand the cost of automa3on: –  It is where desktop automa3on was 6 years ago. –  Best combined with extensive unit and integra3on tes3ng.

5.  Use an exploratory approach to manual tes3ng: – Mobile device projects are typically short.


“Be proud, your work will soon be in the hands of millions”

Stephen Janaway www.stephenjanaway.co.uk @stephenjanaway www.tes3nginthepub.com

Ques3ons?

The current state of mobile testing by stephen janaway

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