Mobile Testing Basics

Mobile Device Testing is the process to assure the quality of mobile devices, like mobile phone, PDA (A PDA "Personal Digital Assistant" is a computer that fits in your hand) etc. The testing will be conducted on both hardware and software.

And from the view of different procedures, the testing comprises R&D Testing, Factory Testing and Certificate Testing.

R&D Testing: R&D test is the main test phase for mobile device, and it happens during the developing phase of the mobile devices. It contains hardware testing, software testing, and mechanical testing.

Factory Testing: Factory Testing is a kind of sanity check on mobile devices. It's conducted automatically to verify that there are no defects brought by the manufacturing or assembling.

Certificate Testing: Certificate Testing is the check before a mobile device goes to market. Many institutes or governments require mobile devices to conform it's specifications and protocols to make sure the mobile device will not harm users' health and have the compatibility with devices from other manufactures. Once the mobile device passes the checking, a certificate will be issued to it.

Unique Challenges in Testing: Unlike the PC based environment, the mobile environment is constituted by a plethora of devices with diverse hardware and software configurations and communication intricacies.

This diversity in mobile computing environments presents unique challenges in application development, quality assurance and deployment, requiring unique testing strategies.

Mobile Buisness Applications can be classified into stand-alone applications and enterprise applications. On the other hand, Enterprise applications are built to perform resource intensive transactions that are typical of corporate computing environments. Enterprise applications also interface with external systems through Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The unique challenges in testing mobile applications arising from diversity of the device environment, hardware and networking considerations and Rapid Application Development (RAD) methodologies are explained below:

"Standalone applications reside in the device and do not interface with external systems"

"Enterprise applications also interface with external systems through Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)"

1. Diversity of the Device Environment: In terms of divercity in device invironment we have around hundreds of device types, more than 40 mobile browsers.

• Rendering of images and positioning • of elements on the screen may be unsuitable in some devices due to the difference in display sizes across mobile devices and models. Exhaustive testing of user interfaces is necessary to ensure compatibility of the application.
• Mobile devices have different • application runtimes. Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW), Java, and embedded visual basic runtime are just some of the runtimes commonly available in mobile devices. Applications should be tested exhaustively for the variations specific to runtime.

2. Hardware Configuration & Network related challenges: In temes of different network ptrovides access points between the wireless internet and the cable internet.

• Some devices communicate through • WAP while some others use HTTP to communicate. Applications should be tested for their compatibility with WAP-enabled as well as HTTP-enabled devices.

3. Rapid Application Development (RAD): In order to deliver the benefits of faster time to market, RAD environments are used for mobile application development. Its indirect pressure on testing teams to reduce the testing cycle time without compromising quality and coverage.

Critical Success Factors

The critical factors that determine the the success of mobile testing program are:

1. Use of Test Automation
2. Use of emulators and actual devices
3. Testing for mobile environment and application complexity

Mobile Phone Vs PDA Vs SmartPhone

Mobile Phone: A mobile phone is more frequently called a cellular phone or cellphone. Most mobile phones provide voice communications, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS).

PDA: Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. Wireless PDAs may also offer e-mail and Web browsing, and data are synchronized between the PDA and desktop computer via USB or wireless.

Smartphone: A smartphone is considered to be the combination of the traditional PDA and cellular phone, with a bigger focus on the cellular phone part. Smartphones allow users to store information, e-mail, install programs, along with using a mobile phone in one device.

Some Popular Examples:

a. The popular Apple iPhone is a Smartphone and is designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was introduced on January 9, 2007. An iPhone functions as a camera phone, including text messaging and visual voice-mail, a portable media player, and an Internet client, with e-mail, web browsing, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

iPhone Features: FaceTime, Camera, Mail, Photos, Messages, App Store, Retina display, Folders, safari, AirPrint, Maps + Compass, iTunes Store, iMovie (from app store), Multitasking, Game center, iPod, AirPlay, Keyboard, Accessibility, iBooks (from app store), HD Video Recording, Phone, Home Screen, Voice Control, Search, Find My iPhone.

b. The iPad (PDA) is a tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. Apple released the iPad in April 2010. The iPad runs the same operating system as the iPod Touch and iPhone. Without modification, it will only run programs approved by Apple and distributed via its online store.

iPad Features: Safari, Mail, Photos, Videos, You Tube, iPod, iTunes, App Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Contacts, Home Screen, Multitasking, Folders, Airprint, Airplay, game Center, Spotlight search, Accessibility, Find My iPad, iBooks (from app store).

c. iPod (such as the newer iTouch are PDA's) is a portable media player designed and marketed by Apple and launched on October 23, 2001.

iPod Features: FaceTime, Music, mail, Voice Control, AirPrint, Find My iPod touch, Retina display, Movies and TV shows, Safari, Maps, AirPlay, HD Video Recording, App Store, Photos, You Tube, Voice Memos, Game center, iTunes, Home Screen, Nike _ iPod, Accessibility, iBooks (from app store).

Operating System for smart phone

1. Android: Initially developed by Android Inc. Android was purchased by Google in 2005. Android operating system is currently being run by mobile phones built by a variety of different companies, including Samsung, Acer, Motorola, and HTC.

2. iPhone OS: iOS (known as iPhone OS prior to June 2010) is Apple's mobile operating system. Iphone OS is the mobile phone version of Mac OSX.

3. Palm: The palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) is a mobile operating system that was designed by Palm, Inc., in 1996. In 2009, the main licensee of Palm OS, Palm, Inc., switched from Palm OS to webOS for their forthcoming devices. HP webOS is a proprietary mobile operating system running on the Linux kernel, initially developed by Palm and purchased by Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2010.

4. Blackberry OS: Blackberry OS is developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM) since 1999. One bad side is that it limits one to viewing MS Office documents only.

5. Windows Phone 7 series (Windows Mobile): Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was for use in Smartphones and mobile devices. Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system is the successor to its Windows Mobile platform. It launched in Europe, Singapore and Australia on October 21, 2010 with Asia to follow in 2011.

6. Symbian: Symbian is an operating system for smartphones and mobile devices designed by Symbian Ltd. Nokia acquired Symbian Software Limited in 2008. Symbian OS was made available in 2010 as open source software.