iOS is one of the two major operating systems for smartphones. With the majority of the enterprise market as its target audience, it allows companies to generate leads from the Western continents, including Western Europe, Australia, and North America.
To have any success with your apps, however, you need to ensure the app functions as expected. That’s where developers play a role!
All top-quality, affordable web and app developers you hire will run diagnostics on the app during development, filtering out bugs and errors in the code before your app is ready to publish on app stores.
In this article, we’ll cover different forms of testing and how to test your iOS app in the best way possible:
Types of iOS App Testing
One advantage of the iOS platform is that it’s restricted to Apple hardware and its devices. It makes testing iOS apps relatively easier than Android apps.
There are multiple ways you can test your iOS apps, divided between two broad categories: Manual and Automated Testing. Let’s take a look at the different types of testing before we learn how to test your iPhone app.
Manual Testing
Manual testing involves performing quality assurance tests based on pre-written conditions in test cases. Depending on the method used by experts, it can be divided into two types:
- Using a Device
Manual testing using a device involves running the application on Apple hardware to test its performance. Experts check the proper functioning of the system, app UI, including error messages, and security. They also perform field tests to see how the app behaves on the mobile data network. - Using an Emulator
Instead of an Apple device, your QA team can also run tests with an emulator. It’s a form of manual testing that best fits unit and integration testing. Unit testing involves monitoring the functioning of particular source code units or modules. Contrarily, integration testing highlights any errors with the various integration points within an app.Emulators can also run diagnostics for the app UI. It allows developers to test the user interface on multiple Apple devices and OS versions, free of cost.
Alternatively, you can also sort manual testing based on the type of tests done.
- Exploratory Testing
It is a form of low-cost testing without a formal, drawn-out plan. - User Testing
User testing is a form of manual testing that includes testing the app concept, its usability, as well as Alpha and Beta testing.
Automation Testing
Automated testing is a relatively modern technique of quality assurance. It allows your QA team to detect and sort out any bugs and performance issues within the app. It involves the following types of tests:
- Compatibility Testing
- Regression Testing
- Performance Testing
- BVT Testing
Tips on iPhone App Testing
Now that you understand the different types of tests you can run on iOS apps, let’s look at what you need to consider when testing your iPhone app:
1. Check Memory Availability
Limited memory availability is a principal reason for app crashing. If the app crash doesn’t reoccur after relaunching it, then it’s likely because of insufficient memory space on your smartphone.
Therefore, when testing out app performance, check the available memory in your iOS. You can use several tools to calculate free memory. Any memory-related issues will resolve when you have ample memory space on your phone.
2. Test Under Low Memory Conditions
Much like checking memory availability, testing your app under low memory conditions also has its benefits. It will allow you to see how the app will react with limited memory available and if it sends out appropriate responses in case of an app crash or other reasons.
If you have ample memory, you can create low memory conditions by running different background apps to consume some of the storage space.
3. Data Input Analysis
Data input analysis implies adding a sample of texts in respective fields inside the app to check for bugs and coding errors. It is a form of boundary value analysis that determines your app’s reaction when a user exceeds the maximum limit of a text field or enters invalid characters.
To see if the app displays appropriate error messages in such cases, you can type in invalid text in every available field. It will help identify bugs present in your code and where they are.
4. Run Background Apps Simultaneously
In addition to testing under low memory conditions, running background apps with your app, simultaneously, serves another purpose. It can help you determine if your app functions appropriately when a user runs multiple apps on their iOS.
Testing your app with multiple applications running in the background will allow you to see how it handles interruptions like notifications, reminders, and more. Incoming calls and playing music in the background should also not influence performance.
5. Review Crash Report Log
The crash report log records all instances of when an app freezes and crashes. It has the when and why the app crashed information readily available for your QA team.
So, reviewing a crash report log is vital when testing your iPhone app. It can help in diagnosing the real issue as well as analyzing app performance before it crashed.
You can find the crash log via your iPhone Settings through the Diagnostics & Usage section. To access it, connect your smartphone with your iTunes account.
6. Test Connectivity Problems
Since most apps use an internet connection, it’s essential to test the app’s performance in case of poor or no network in the vicinity. By creating an artificially slow connection or unavailability, you can check how your app behaves, the error messages it displays, and more. You can do so by turning on the iPhone’s in-built airplane mode or using a low-speed internet connection.
Improve Your iPhone App with an iOS App Testing Checklist
Apple’s App Store has strict guidelines and prerequisites that every app should meet to be published.
I hope this article helped in understanding how to test your iPhone app in the best way possible.
Keeping these tips in mind, test your app for bugs and performance issues to ensure it can pass Apple’s quality test. Plus, it will guarantee your users receive the best experience when they use your app.
