The Importance of Using Real (and the Latest) Mobile Devices for Testing and QA

Mobile applications have become the cornerstone of the digital presence of many companies, with research showing that users now spend up to 84% of their mobile time within apps. Whether these mobile applications meet quality standards can make or break the entire user experience (UX). To help ensure these quality standards, we at TestDevLab perform various types of mobile application tests that are connected to multiple factors, including network types and performance, battery life, servers, operating systems, and the devices on which they are used. 

When performing mobile application testing, choosing which devices to test on can be a challenge, given that there are nearly 1,300 different brands that have produced more than 24,000 different devices that run on Android OS. This creates the need for establishing a balanced, yet wide range of real devices to test on.

Best practices for choosing test mobile devices 

It might seem insignificant at first, but using a wide range of real devices for testing is crucial for precise results. Digital products will continue to have a global presence, so it’s important to cover as many different devices as possible to ensure your product will perform just as well in a developing city across the world as it does in your office.

Moreover, considering a wide range of devices for testing means taking into account your users’ respective demographics, geographic locations, and overall economic statuses. The more possibilities and specifications you account for, the more accessible your product becomes. 

Because of how rapidly the tech industry grows, it is no longer enough to test on Apple or Samsung devices alone. Despite Apple’s global popularity, research shows that manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, and others are disrupting the leaderboard, especially in more populated geographic locations such as India and China. Thus, deciding which devices to choose can be overwhelming.

One good strategy for choosing test devices is considering the client’s target users and market. These target users can be found more effectively when using criteria like:

• Region;
• Industry;
• Company size;
• Popularity;
• Traffic volume;
• Market share & more.

Such data can be utilized to pinpoint the client’s target users, which in turn will noticeably narrow the range of devices to use for testing. 

Another way to further narrow down the range of devices needed for testing is to evaluate each test case individually and choose based on the testing types. For example, since manual tests are more time-consuming, a smaller selection of up to 10 of the most popular devices for the client’s target markets will be most efficient. It’s also important to note that this selection of the testing devices needs to ensure optimal coverage; thus, it’s recommended to implement a “one-of-each” approach. 

Keeping these practices in mind when creating test plans will help ensure that test coverage is comprehensive, cost-efficient, and cost-effective.

Latest devices as a part of the testing range

Having access to the latest device models is part of having a wide testing range. Accounting for the newest models ensures your app works seamlessly on the models your customers are actually buying right now or in the near future, not just last year’s phones. It’s a way of future-proofing, because you can catch compatibility or performance issues early on, instead of scrambling after users complain.

The downside is that constantly buying the newest devices is expensive and resource-demanding to manage. That’s why many teams turn to a testing partner who keeps a wide range of devices on hand - covering both the latest flagships and older models. At TestDevLab, we have established a fleet of more than 5000 real devices to test on - so our clients can be confident their app runs smoothly across the real-world mix of devices their users rely on.

Things to keep in mind about the latest devices

With the warm summer months being over and September rolling in, the new Apple announcements have made many users consider upgrading from their old devices to the new ones. Because of this, some people may think that only testing on the newest models will cover a wide enough range for testing. While in reality, having a fleet of only newer models isn't enough to cut it.

Having a variety of models is crucial if your goal is to account for accessibility, inclusion, and a global scope. Moreover, being able to provide a wider scope of services proves to be a competitive advantage in relation to most industries.

Industries that benefit from testing on the latest devices

Depending on the specifics of a client’s product, testing on the latest devices right away may not be a priority. Though for some industries, the newer the models, the better the results. Take the gaming industry, for example.

For many console-based games, the newest editions are supported only on the latest devices and cannot be played on older consoles. In addition to this, games that are still in development (GTA VI, Subnautica 2, and others) will require testing to be done on newer devices to make sure that their product performs in a future-proof environment and aligns with the latest tech specifications. 

Using the latest devices vs. alternatives

Having an established fleet that contains a wide range of devices can be expensive and tedious; many QA companies try to shortcut the process by using device emulators or simulators. Essentially, these are programs that create virtual mobile devices on a computer. In addition to testers, developers can use them to test their mobile apps in highly realistic environments during development.

Disadvantages of using device emulators & simulators

Although cost-efficient and fast, device emulators & simulators do not provide the same results as real devices do and prove to have a set of their own disadvantages. 

Here's why:

• Reliability: Because it’s hard to predict the behaviour of a testing product in a real-life scenario, it’s still recommended to re-test on real devices, which in turn creates an unnecessary waste of time and resources.
• Software and hardware differences: Emulators & simulators don’t run on actual hardware, which can complicate things when trying to compare test results to real-life conditions.
• Computing power: Typically, the computers emulating test devices are more powerful and faster compared to real devices, which can make it harder to notice performance issues before they arise.
• Connectivity issues: Emulators can’t connect to actual carrier networks; therefore, they can’t reproduce the same conditions as real devices accurately. This also applies to real-life device behaviors like changes in Wi-Fi networks, weak Bluetooth connections, and disturbances like calls, notifications, and others.

Disadvantages of using device clouds

Similar to device emulators, there are device clouds, which offer the possibility of testing on a device that you don’t yet own - the difference lies in device clouds being based on actual hardware in a shared, remote environment, which can then be accessed remotely, hosted on a cloud.

Device clouds have many advantages (reduced costs, faster production and time-to-market, and instant access to devices), and yet, they can’t replace real device testing entirely. 

Here's where they might fall short:

• Security testing (given that device clouds rely on physical devices located in remote areas, it’s harder to guarantee a balanced geographic coverage; ultimately making it more difficult to test for security across all regions and geographic locations);
• Hardware configuration (since public device clouds rely on a shared device model, multiple clients can have access to the same devices remotely; thus, each device needs to be wiped of any previous data, which in turn makes it difficult to replicate real-life hardware configurations such as processor speed, battery life, RAM performance, app interactions, and more);
• Network latency (when accessing devices remotely, problems like unexpected outages, slow network speed, and other connectivity issues can occur unexpectedly and cause automation scripts to fail, leading to wasted resources and time).

Most effective device testing strategies

Emulators & simulators are more cost-effective and accessible than real devices, and prove to provide the best results when performing tests of calculations, interfaces, and compatibility with different firmware versions. Moreover, emulators are most suitable for simple debugging. However, despite the advantages, these programs have many drawbacks, which most often lead testers back to real devices, regardless. 

Although public cloud devices provide advantages like improved test coverage and faster time to market, they still fail to make the cut on testing regional requirements, security verifications, and hardware configurations. Similar to emulators & simulators, the drawbacks of public cloud devices will lead testers back to real devices in the end.

We believe that using either emulators & simulators or device clouds in combination with real devices can create the most cost-effective and high-quality results, since important factors like reliability, security, network performance, and geographic locations can be at risk. Depending on the scopes of projects and the client’s specifications, the combinations of virtual and physical devices can vary and need to be evaluated individually, case by case, analyzing factors like budget, time limitations, and risks.

Final note

Testing mobile apps goes beyond a few popular devices. With thousands of devices, networks, and OSs, companies need a strategic approach that reflects market share and user demographics to ensure reliability, accessibility, and inclusivity.

Balancing coverage with cost efficiency is key: emulators, simulators, and device clouds are convenient, but real-device testing ensures accuracy. Combining both approaches maximizes coverage while optimizing resources.
Staying current with new device releases future-proofs apps, especially in tech-driven industries, without neglecting older or less powerful devices that many users still rely on.

Ultimately, the most effective mobile app testing strategies are those that are flexible, client-focused, and adaptive to evolving technologies. By combining real-device testing with virtual environments and aligning device selections with target user data, companies can achieve both efficiency and thoroughness. This holistic approach not only improves the user experience but also gives businesses a competitive edge in an increasingly demanding digital landscape.