Mobile apps have become an integral part of our daily lives, and the demand for skilled mobile app testers has skyrocketed. As a mobile testing professional, you must be prepared to face a wide range of interview questions that assess your knowledge, skills, and experience. In this article, we’ll cover the top 30 mobile testing interview questions and provide comprehensive answers to help you ace your next interview.
1. What is Mobile Application Testing?
Mobile application testing is the process of validating and verifying the functionality, usability, and performance of a mobile app across various devices, operating systems, and network conditions. It ensures that the app meets the desired requirements and provides a seamless user experience.
2. Why is Mobile Testing Critical for Businesses Today?
Mobile testing is critical for businesses for several reasons:
- Fragmentation: With numerous devices, operating systems, and screen sizes, mobile testing ensures that the app works consistently across different platforms.
- User Experience: Mobile apps are often the primary touchpoint between businesses and customers. Thorough testing helps deliver a positive user experience, enhancing customer satisfaction and retention.
- Market Competitiveness: A well-tested and high-quality mobile app can give businesses a competitive edge in the market, leading to increased downloads, user engagement, and revenue.
3. What is the Key Difference Between Mobile Device Testing and Mobile Application Testing?
Mobile device testing focuses on validating the hardware and software components of a mobile device, such as the screen, camera, memory, and pre-installed applications. On the other hand, mobile application testing involves testing the functionality, usability, and performance of a specific mobile app across various devices and platforms.
4. How Many Types of Mobile Applications Exist, and What Are They?
There are three main types of mobile applications:
- Native Applications: These are built using platform-specific programming languages and APIs, such as Java/Kotlin for Android and Swift/Objective-C for iOS. Examples include WhatsApp and Facebook.
- Web Applications: These are mobile-optimized websites that run inside a mobile web browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Examples include m.facebook.com and m.gmail.com.
- Hybrid Applications: These are a combination of native and web applications, utilizing web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) wrapped in a native container. Examples include Instagram and Twitter.
5. List the Types of Mobile App Testing.
The common types of mobile app testing include:
- Usability Testing
- Compatibility Testing
- Interface Testing
- Services Testing
- Low-level Resource Testing
- Performance Testing
- Operational Testing
- Installation Testing
- Security Testing
6. What Are the Common Challenges in Mobile Application Testing?
Some common challenges in mobile application testing include:
- Executing test cases across various operating systems and device configurations
- Testing application functionality on a wide range of handsets
- Dealing with screen size fragmentation
- Testing applications on different mobile networks (2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi)
- Choosing the right mobile testing tools and frameworks
- Addressing different application types (native, hybrid, or web)
7. What Types of Mobile Testing Should Be Included in an Android Testing Strategy?
An effective Android testing strategy should include the following types of testing:
- Unit Testing
- System Testing
- Integration Testing
- Operational Testing
- Performance Testing
- Security Testing
- Compatibility Testing
8. What Is the Strategy for Testing a New Mobile App?
When testing a new mobile app, a comprehensive strategy should be followed, including:
- Selecting target devices based on market demand and commonly used devices
- Utilizing emulators and simulators for initial testing stages
- Performing functional, system integration, installation/uninstallation, HTML control, performance, cross-platform, and network/battery testing
9. What Does an Automated Test Plan for Mobile Apps Contain?
An automated test plan for mobile apps should include:
- Testing scope and objectives
- Selected automation tools
- Required features to be tested (performance, security, network, size, battery)
- Test cases
- Test strategy
- Responsible personnel
- Time frame
- Required resources
10. List the Best Practices for Android Testing.
Best practices for Android testing include:
- Developing test cases simultaneously with writing code
- Storing and documenting test cases for reusability
- Applying continuous integration and executing tests upon code changes
- Avoiding rooted devices and emulators for reliable results
11. What Are the Primary Criteria to Consider for End-to-End Mobile Testing?
When performing end-to-end mobile testing, consider the following primary criteria:
- Successful installation across various mobile models, devices, and operating systems
- Smooth application launch with or without a network
- Supported orientations and their functionality
- Application performance on different devices and network scenarios
- Application response speed and time
12. What Is the Difference Between Simulators and Emulators?
Simulator | Emulator | |
---|---|---|
Objective | To simulate the internal behavior of the device | To emulate or mimic both hardware and software |
Internal Structure | Written in a high-level language | Written in machine-level assembly language |
Debugging Capability | Can be problematic for debugging | More suitable for debugging |
13. How Do You Test CPU Usage on Mobile Devices?
CPU usage on mobile devices can be tested using various tools available on app stores, such as CPU Monitor, CPU Stats, Usemon, and CPU-Z. These tools record and monitor historical information about processes running on the device.
14. What Are the Major Networks to Consider When Performing Application Testing?
When performing application testing, it’s essential to consider all major networks, including 4G, 3G, 2G, and Wi-Fi. Testing on slower networks like 2G can help track application performance under varying network conditions.
15. What Criteria Should Be Included When Performing a Sanity Test on a Mobile Application?
A sanity test on a mobile application should include:
- Installation and uninstallation of the application
- Performance on different available networks (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi)
- Functional testing
- Interrupt testing
- Compatibility testing
- Application performance on other handsets
- Application behavior when entering invalid credentials
16. What Is the Best Way to Test Different Screen Sizes of Devices?
Using emulators is considered the most effective way to test different screen sizes of devices, as it allows testing on various resolutions and form factors without the need for physical devices.
17. What Are the Common Bugs Often Found During Mobile Testing?
Common bugs found during mobile testing can be classified into the following types:
- Critical Bugs: The device’s operating system crashes when testing a particular feature.
- Blocking Bugs: The application becomes unresponsive, but the device status remains on.
- Major Bugs: A specific feature of the application is unable to perform its functionality.
- Minor Bugs: Graphical user interface (GUI) bugs, such as misaligned elements or incorrect colors.
Other common bugs include slow application performance, excessive battery consumption, and complete unresponsiveness.
18. How Is A/B Testing Done for iOS Apps?
A/B testing for iOS apps can be performed in three steps:
- Configuring the Test: Prepare two versions of your iOS application (A and B) with the required test metrics.
- Testing: Test both iOS versions simultaneously on devices.
- Analyzing Results: Measure and select the better version to release based on test results.
19. When Should a QA Team Choose Manual Testing or Automation Testing for Mobile Projects?
The choice between manual testing and automation testing depends on several factors:
Manual Testing:
- When testing new functionality
- When testing is required only once or twice
Automation Testing:
- When the release cycle requires a large amount of regression testing
- When testing complex scenarios and workflows
20. What Are the Common Problems Testers Face While Doing Mobile Testing on Cloud Computing?
Some common problems faced while performing mobile testing on cloud computing include:
- Subscription Model: Concerns about the cost and pricing model of cloud services.
- High Costs: Cloud services can be more expensive than anticipated, especially when considering talent and migration costs.
- Difficulties in Automated Testing: Mobile automation testing can be challenging and time-consuming on cloud platforms due to its image-based nature and framework limitations.
21. What Are the Essential Things to Remember While Testing Apps Using the Black Box Testing Method?
When using the black box testing method for mobile apps, it’s essential to consider:
- Application compatibility across multiple devices
- Proper connection and disconnection while changing IP or port addresses
- Ability to make calls and send messages to other devices
- Compatibility with multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc.)
22. What Is an Android Testing Framework?
The Android Testing Framework is a standard testing framework for Android applications. It consists of three components:
- Application Package: The target application to be tested.
- Instrumentation Test Runner: A test case runner that allows executing tests on the target application.
- Test Package: Contains test case classes and mock objects used for testing the target application.
23. What Is the Robolectric Testing Framework?
The Robolectric testing framework allows running Android tests directly on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) without the need for a device or emulator. This can significantly reduce the effort and time required for building and running tests.
24. What Is the Latest Version of iOS?
The latest version of iOS is iOS 16, released in September 2022.
25. What Is the Latest Version of Android?
The latest version of Android is Android 13, released in August 2022.
26. What Is the Extension of Android Application Files?
The extension for Android application files is .apk
(Android application package).
27. What Is the Extension of iOS Application Files?
The extension for iOS application files is .ipa
(iOS App Store Package).
28. What Technical Criteria Should Be Considered When Selecting a Test Automation Tool for Mobile Apps?
When selecting a test automation tool for mobile apps, consider the following technical criteria:
- Multiple platform support
- Application under test compatibility
- Script usability
- Jailbreak requirements
- Need for source code changes
- Lead time for new OS version support
29. How Many Types of Automation Testing Tools Are Available for Mobile Devices?
There are two main types of automation testing tools available for mobile devices:
- Object-based Tools: These tools interact with the application’s user interface objects (buttons, text fields, etc.).
- Image-based Tools: These tools capture and compare screenshots to validate the application’s visual appearance.
30. Can You Name a Few Mobile Testing Tools Compatible with Android and/or iOS?
Some popular mobile testing tools compatible with Android and/or iOS include:
- Android: Robotium, UI Automator, Selendroid
- iOS: KeepItFunctional, iOS Driver
- Cross-Platform: Katalon, Appium, MonkeyTalk, Ranorex Studio, eggPlant
By familiarizing yourself with these mobile testing interview questions and answers, you’ll be better prepared to showcase your knowledge and skills during the interview process. Remember, continuous learning and staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices are crucial for success in the mobile testing field.
Frequently Asked Mobile Testing Interview Questions | Entry Level | Scenario & Experienced Question
FAQ
How do you explain mobile testing in an interview?
What are the common bugs found while mobile testing?