Performance is crucial for every mobile App. If the Mobile App does not perform well, the end-user will delete it and replace it with a better-performing app. Therefore, before releasing a mobile application to the public, it must be thoroughly tested with Performance Testing Services.
Strategy for Testing Mobile Apps
The performance of an application on a mobile phone or other smart device is typically measured in the three categories below.
- Performance of the device
- Performance of the server/API
- Performance of the Network
Performance of the Device
When a client encounters a slow app, they become irritated. The following must be examined for device performance through Performance Testing Services:
- App Start
How long does it take the App to startup? It is the first performance parameter, which the user evaluates. The initial screen should appear 1-2 seconds after the user touches the app icon as a common guideline.
- Time spent using an app while the battery is depleted
Some mobile apps drain a lot of battery life and heat the phone when constantly used. Such an aspect significantly improves the performance of any mobile app and occurs when your program consumes more resources than it requires. Excessive resource utilization strains the processor, causing the phone to overheat.
- Memory Depletion
It is vital to ensure how much memory it uses when testing an app. This is because the program’s memory consumption grows as specific functionalities are implemented. For example, when push notifications are enabled in Android apps, memory usage increases; in some circumstances, memory utilisation by the entire operating system is only 14%, while a new app consumes 11%. As a result, such issues must be addressed before the software is released to the public or given to a client.
- Variation In Software/Hardware
When opting for Performance Testing Services testing a mobile app, it is essential to test it on various devices. It’s possible that an app runs smoothly on one device but not on another. Therefore, the App can be tested on Samsung, HTC, Lenovo phones, and other Android suppliers. Similarly, the program should be tested on different RAM and processor configurations, such as 1 GB or 2 GB.
- Integration with Other Apps
There should be no interference while the App under test runs in parallel with other apps. So switching between any app under testing and other apps is the best approach to check it.
- App running in the background.
When a background app is recovered, it should remain in the same condition as before. Now a high probability that data will be lost if this scenario is not handled correctly. When the software is reinstalled, the data has to be entered from scratch.
Performance of the server/API
The response time tends to become essential to performance when the App interacts with the Server via API. You’ll look at – for server performance.
- Data Transfer to-and-from the Server
Data sent from the Server should be handled efficiently by the App. It must not take an excessive amount of time to load data. Data is sent in a peculiar format in some apps. As a result, it should be transformed to a suitable format before being displayed in the App. Apps may become slower, and reaction times may lengthen due to this procedure.
- API Calls Made by the App
The number of calls made from the App under test to the Server should be minimal. Multiple API calls may be made for the same feature in some circumstances. This should be handled with fewer calls for better performance.
- Downtime on the Server
If the server happens to be unavailable for any reason, the data can be saved in the native database. Consequently, the display data can be stored in the native database even when the Server is down. Now another option is to use the failover database servers. It means that if one of the servers goes down or goes into sudden maintenance, the backup server must be ready to take over. Thus, the failover/backup server should be synchronized and replicated in real-time with the primary server.
Performance of the Network
The App’s performance on various networks and network parameters must be assessed. The following items should be evaluated for network performance.
- Jitters
Jitters are a particular phrase used to describe a peculiar delay in receiving information through a network. It is difficult with packet switch networks or connectionless networks. The packets can take a different route from the sender to the receiver as information is distributed in many packets. Thus, when data gets to its destination, it is scrambled differently than delivered. Therefore the mobile App must be capable of handling Jitters in this instance. Show the end-user the relevant notifications, either retry the request or wait for the system to answer again.
- Loss of Packets
In a total packet loss, the App should retry the information request or create the appropriate notifications. The user may or will be unable to interpret the information provided in the App if the data is incomplete. It can be an accurate source of anxiety for the user. As a result, it is preferable to show a suitable message or ask the user to try again.
- Networking Performance
The App must be thoroughly tested on several different networks that have varying speeds. For example, the App should be tested on 2.5G, 3G, and 4G networks. This includes both WiFi and mobile networks. It is also the right thing to keep an eye on the App’s activity. Especially when both networks are available and switching from one to the other has occurred.
Challenges
There are certain challenges to performance testing of mobile apps too.
- Mobile phone usability
- Simulating successful connectivities such as Edge, 3G, 4G, WiFi, etc.
- Organizing multiple mobile platforms and operating systems
- Mobile device limits like battery and resource consumption
- The assorted mobile device sizes to run the same program
After taking Performance Testing Services for all the above and updating the App for the essential to launch, there are still subsequent updates needed to keep up with the competitive App market.
