Cross-device testing evaluates the software’s performance, usability, and compatibility across desktop computers, smartphones, tablets, and other internet-connected devices. As a result, it guarantees that an application will run consistently across all hardware, operating systems, and browsers. Testers can replicate or utilize various devices to ensure that the program functions in all its intended settings.
Cross-device testing is necessary in the modern digital world since users access apps across various devices. It is essential for software development. Maintaining users and expanding the business depends on ensuring that all users across all devices have fun, which is ensured by high customer satisfaction.
Quality assurance aims to find and address device-specific problems to avoid reputational damage and decreased application reliability. An app’s market reach increases its user base by making it functional and accessible across various devices.
Different Operating Systems and Devices
The range of digital gadgets people use and engage with is enormous and ever-changing. The main categories are as follows:
Smartphones:
Smartphones, the most widely used gadget, come in various screen sizes, resolutions, hardware features, and operating systems. Complexity may rise if smartphone makers integrate their software with the primary operating system.
Tablets:
Tablets with larger screens can run the same operating systems as smartphones (iOS on iPads and Android on numerous devices) or Windows on Microsoft Surface devices.
Desktops:
Desktop computers are required for both gaming and business use. Typically, distinct hardware is used to install Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Wearables:
Google Wear OS and Apple Watch power fitness trackers and smartwatches, typically with distinct user interaction paradigms and small screens.
Other Internet-Connected Devices:
Smart TVs and IoT devices have distinct operating systems and interface designs that are even within the same category.
Various Screen Sizes, Hardware Capabilities, and Resolutions
Let’s examine the fundamental variations in screen sizes, resolutions, and hardware capacities:
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Resolutions and Screen Sizes:
Appearance and functionality are affected by device screen sizes and resolutions. What appears good on a vast desktop display might be readable and fluid on a small smartphone screen with a little bit of design tweaking.
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Hardware
Application performance is impacted by devices’ memory, storage, and computing power. While a resource-intensive program might function flawlessly on a powerful PC, it might perform better on a tablet or smartphone.
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Adaptive and Responsive Design:
Web developers frequently employ responsive or adaptive design techniques to address these variations. Whereas responsive design only has one layout, adaptive design offers several for various devices.
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Implications for Testing:
Developers and testers must create a testing matrix with a representative device and configuration sample. This matrix guarantees the application’s users are tested in the most significant scenarios.
Teams may better prepare their applications for development and testing by knowing the device landscape and considering screen sizes, resolutions, and hardware capabilities. It will ensure users have a smooth and gratifying experience across all platforms.
How Can a Cross-Platform Testing Strategy Be Developed?
The following is how to create a cross-platform testing plan:
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Consult a Test Coverage Index
Start by consulting an extensive test coverage index. Regularly updated release calendars for online and mobile platforms, test coverage approaches, and information on the most popular devices and browsers are just a few of the valuable resources included in these indices.
Having access to an up-to-date test coverage index is crucial to developing a cross-platform testing approach that works.
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Select the Right Devices, Platforms, and Browsers
Selecting the proper hardware, operating systems, and web browsers is essential to accurately replicating your end-user environment. The test coverage index will assist you in choosing the most pertinent devices and platforms, ensuring that your testing closely resembles real-world usage as possible.
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Make Sure Every Device Has Basic Coverage
It can’t be limited to testing on one device alone. Aim for thorough coverage that considers each device’s different operating system versions. To adequately cover the fundamental testing needs, ensure you test across various devices running other OS versions.
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Choose the Right Platforms for Specific Test Cases
Due to testing cycle time limits, prioritizing high-value test cases is essential. To optimize your testing process, analyze your test scenarios across several applications and determine the best way to distribute them across different platforms.
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Test on Various Browsers
As the browser landscape changes, it’s critical to expand your test coverage to encompass a variety of browsers. Specific browsers may be more common in particular areas, even while some dominate the world stage. Using a test coverage index to determine browser popularity will help ensure that your testing is thorough and pertinent.
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Take into account the Environmental Conditions.
Outside variables such as network conditions, rival apps, screen orientations, and regional differences can significantly impact App performance. Your testing process should replicate these scenarios as closely as possible to recreate the environment in which your apps operate.
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Assess Your Lab’s Size and ROI
You are evaluating your test coverage’s return on investment (ROI). Consider your pipeline testing requirements and tester productivity indicators to size your digital lab properly. By weighing the advantages and disadvantages of your testing plan, this evaluation will assist you in making an informed and cost-effective decision.
Case Studies: Efficient Cross-Device Testing Implementations
Here are a few illustrations to consider as you enlarge various cross-device testing use scenarios.
Case Study 1: Global E-Commerce Platform
Overview:
During major events like Black Friday, a well-known e-commerce company found maintaining its mobile apps and websites operating correctly on all platforms challenging.
Strategy Implemented:
The company could test across various desktop and mobile devices thanks to a cloud-based testing infrastructure. They incorporated automated testing technologies into their CI/CD pipeline for continuous testing.
Result:
They decreased their pre-release testing cycle from weeks to days with automated, continuous testing and saw a 40% decrease in device compatibility concerns.
Lessons:
Automation of testing increases product quality and accelerates release cycles. To remain current, it is imperative to consistently add new hardware and operating systems to the testing pool.
Case Study 2: Mobile App for Financial Services
Overview:
A financial services firm must ensure its customer-facing mobile app is secure and functional across various devices, considering the delicate nature of financial transactions.
Strategy:
They used precise testing and emulation to cover various gadgets and operating systems. Additionally, they gave security tests for every gadget as a top priority.
Result:
They found serious security holes and inconsistent user interfaces amongst various devices thanks to the thorough testing approach, which was fixed before the public release.
Lessons learned:
Combining simulation and accurate device testing can balance cost-effectiveness and completeness. Security testing, particularly for apps handling sensitive data, should be a significant priority.
Best Practices For Cross-Device Testing
Applications must undergo cross-device testing to ensure a dependable and uniform user experience across platforms and devices. Cross-device testing can be enhanced by following these recommended practices:
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Carefully define your device matrix:
Consider your target audience’s preferences and usage patterns when choosing a representative selection of devices, operating systems, and browsers. These choices should be guided by market research and analytics data that covers the most critical cases.
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Automation
Automate laborious testing to increase coverage and efficiency. Automation testing technologies simulate user interactions across various platforms and devices, allowing for faster issue identification and more frequent testing.
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Utilize Platforms for Cloud-Based Testing:
Cloud services can access a wide range of devices and surroundings without a lab. This flexibility is necessary for early testing of new devices and operating systems.
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Continuous Testing
Include testing in the pipeline for CI/CD. Issue discovery and resolution early in the development cycle lowers the cost and effort associated with issue fixes.
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Integrate Simulators and Emulators with Real Devices:
Simulators and emulators are scalable and reasonably priced for early testing and troubleshooting. Nevertheless, the most accurate understanding of an application’s behavior in the real world comes from accurate device testing.
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User Experience:
Testing across devices ought to go beyond functionalities. To ensure the app is universally intuitive and user-friendly, evaluations are conducted on visual components, interactions, and device performance.
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Give accessibility Testing Top Priority:
To incorporate features that will benefit those with disabilities into your applications, begin with accessibility testing. Accessibility and WCAG should be included in cross-device testing.
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Conduct Performance Testing:
Test your application on various devices with varying CPU, memory, and network speeds. It’s necessary for high-performance applications like gaming and streaming video.
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Real-World Tests:
Incorporate tests that mimic real-world situations, such as low battery, missed calls or notifications, and switching from WiFi to cellular connectivity.
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Evaluate and Update Testing Strategies Frequently:
As new gadgets and technologies are introduced, outdated testing cases will be replaced. Stay updated on software and hardware developments to keep your testing current.
Adhering to these best practices may help teams enhance the user experience by boosting the quality and dependability of their apps across devices.
In the quick-paced digital world, your apps must function across various platforms, browsers, and operating systems to thrive. Teams may improve software and streamline testing processes using a cloud-based platform such as LambdaTest.
LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations.
It readily integrates with popular CI/CD platforms, allowing you to automate testing across your development cycles. As a result, problems can be found and fixed quickly, cutting down on the time and expense of manual testing.
LambdaTest guarantees the safety of your data with its secure cloud-based environments and offers a dependable platform for your testing requirements. Regular upgrades and maintenance keep your testing process efficient and minimize downtime.
Increase the size of your testing without adding more overhead. Concurrent testing is supported by LambdaTest’s scalable cloud infrastructure, which significantly decreases the time needed to perform sequential tests and increases team productivity.
In Summary
This blog has taught us comprehensive cross-device testing techniques, highlighting the need and challenge of ensuring software functions properly across various devices. We explored several cutting-edge tactics necessary for efficient testing.
Comprehensive and proactive cross-device testing does more than just find bugs—it raises the caliber of software on all platforms. This strategy guarantees end customers a dependable, functional, and easy-to-use experience across all platforms and devices.
Firms must use cross-device solid testing techniques to remain competitive and satisfy customers in today’s broad technological landscape. QA and development teams can apply these techniques to increase user engagement and product quality.
Read more: Selenium Web Driver: The Foundation of Automated Web Testing-Key Concepts Explained
