Testing/retesting is a process in which you check an app for possible bugs and assure that they are fixed before the app is released. With the advent of more sophisticated technology, the average user is becoming more tech-savvy who does not excuse any bugs in a mobile application. Research suggests that 48 percent of users are less likely to use an app if they are troubled by software bugs, app crashes, freezing issues, slow load time, navigation issues and other security vulnerabilities.
Most users will stop using an app if they are troubled with the application’s performance.Testing and retesting of an application have therefore become essential steps for the developers who want to maintain customers’ loyalty and avoid losing a big chunk of money. Among the 39,000 apps that are released, on average, every month, only a few end up successful. To ensure that your app stays competitive and functions seamlessly, you need to identify and resolve all the flaws before it goes live.
Testing is the only way you can go about avoiding the errors, that you won’t notice otherwise; and as annoying as it can be, it is the only sensible solution. This article discusses the importance of app testing and retesting before making it available to the public.
1. It gauges your app’s performance:
Mobile app testing and retestinghelps you identify issues in the app before prospective customers could get frustrated with them. Testers implement ways to resolve all the errors before the app rolls out. It gives them an idea about the performance of an app on different mobile devices. Testing also addresses important questions like how the app handles multiple users simultaneously and how it responds to network-wide penetration tests.
2. Promotes app compatibility with different devices:
With avariety of mobile devices in the market, it is necessary that all the users are capable of interacting with your app. App testing ensures that the app iscompatible with all the available devices including Android, Apple iOS, Windows and Blackberry. It is equally important to measure the application’s performance on each device. The more compatible your app is with differentdevices; the more users will use your mobile application.
3. Helps in reducing risks:
Apps that are not properly tested before release can cost your business billions. The dismal failure of Healthcare.gov serves as an example. Premature launch of the site ranked up around USD 121 million in repair costs with an additional $90 million spent on building the site.
By forecasting bugs and crashes and addressing them timely, you reduce the risk of losing your target users.It is recommendedto thoroughly test and re-test your application to avoid losing your app due to negligence.
4. Attracts loyal customers:
Retesting allows you to inspect an app and improve it from a customer’s perspective. Such an attitude enables you to offer better customer experience;hence the app is bound to attract loyal customers and increase positive airg reviews. Satisfied customers who enjoy using your app will leave positive reviews about the app on different forums and will recommend it to their friends. With a high-quality app and loyal customers, you can reach millions of users and maximize profits.
5. Allows you to enhance security features:
Most web apps extract and store data from users including personal detail, billing information, and private files. They trust you to keep this data secure. If your rivals and hackers can access your application, it is possible for them to leapfrog onto secure networks which can lead to security breaches. The most common attacks launched by hackers include:
- Cross-site scripting: when a site is lured into accepting a malicious code
- SQL injection: when a hacker runs an SQL (Structured Query Language) command on the application’s database, leading to theft or damage of users’ data
- DDoS attacks: DDoS (Distributed denial of service) is making an app unavailable to its users. This is done by flooding the target server with requests so that it slows down or become unresponsive
To avoid such attacks, you should test and re-test your app for bugs and vulnerabilities. You should also identify programming errors in the code like missing authentication checks, leaving sensitive data unencrypted and unlocking web server directory access.
It is, therefore, necessary to verify all the security features of your app through white-hat security experts or any of the available web tools to prevent any such unfortunate event.
6. Maximizes revenues:
App testing is far from the most enjoyable part of app development,but it must be done to get higher profits. Several testing service providers now offer services at affordable rates, so you do not need to hire full-time testers to build quality apps.
The importance of app’s quality is furtherhighlighted by the Google’s Think Insights on Mobile which states that 67 percent of users are more likely to purchase your product or service if they have a positive experience with your mobile app or website. It is imperative to test your mobile app in an age when there are more than 2 billion smartphone owners, each using multiple appson a daily basis.
7. Improves ranking:
Google crawlers scrutinize apps for bugs and errors and inflict ranking penalties on apps that have flaws in them. Since your app visibility is strictly related to its ranking in search engines, you can no longer underestimate the need for testing your mobile app. It is, therefore, obligatory to test your app before going live to prevent its ranking being throttled.
The Bottom Line:
With so much of your reputation and revenue depending on it, app testing has become a critical part of apps development. Most of the problems that the users face can be identified through mobile app testing. These errors should be resolved before the application is made available to the public. The app should be re-tested to confirm that it is error-free. While there are many online and inexpensive app-testing tools available in the market today, your app should be tested by an expert to avoid any embarrassing and costly outcome.
Audrey Throne is a mother of a 3-year old and a professional blogger by choice. Throne is passionate about lifestyle, business, automotive, technology and management and blogs frequently on these topics.
Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne.