Mobile Testing

<default_to_action> When testing mobile applications:

DEFINE device coverage matrix (Tier 1: 60%, Tier 2: 30%, Tier 3: 10%)
TEST platform differences (iOS ≠ Android: back button, permissions, UI)
VALIDATE touch gestures (tap, swipe, pinch, long-press)
TEST mobile-specific scenarios (offline, low battery, interruptions)
USE real devices for critical paths, emulators for fast feedback

Quick Mobile Checklist:

Test on latest iOS + Android flagship devices
Test offline mode and network transitions
Verify push notifications work
Test gesture interactions (swipe, pinch)
Check permissions flow (camera, location, notifications)

Critical Success Factors:

Emulators for 80% of testing, real devices for 20% critical paths
Test on devices your users actually use (analytics)
Device fragmentation is Android's biggest challenge </default_to_action>

Quick Reference Card

When to Use

Native app development (iOS/Android)
Hybrid apps (React Native, Flutter)
Mobile web / PWAs
App store submission preparation

iOS vs Android Differences

Aspect	iOS	Android
OS Versions	2-3 supported	10+ in use
Devices	~40 models	1000+ variants
Back Button	Gesture/nav	Hardware/software
Permissions	Single prompt	Runtime granular
App Store	Strict review	Google Play + sideload

Device Coverage Tiers

Tier	Coverage	Devices
Tier 1	60% users	iPhone 15, Galaxy S24, iPad
Tier 2	30% users	iPhone 14/13, Pixel 8
Tier 3	10% users	Older devices, other manufacturers

Mobile Performance Goals

Metric	Target
App launch	< 2 seconds
Screen transition	< 300ms
Frame rate	60 FPS
Battery drain	< 5%/hour background

Touch Gesture Testing

javascript

// Appium gesture examples
// Tap
await driver.touchAction({ action: 'tap', x: 100, y: 200 });

// Swipe (scroll down)
await driver.touchAction([
  { action: 'press', x: 200, y: 400 },
  { action: 'moveTo', x: 200, y: 100 },
  { action: 'release' }
]);

// Pinch to zoom
const finger1 = [
  { action: 'press', x: 100, y: 200 },
  { action: 'moveTo', x: 50, y: 150 },
  { action: 'release' }
];
const finger2 = [
  { action: 'press', x: 200, y: 200 },
  { action: 'moveTo', x: 250, y: 250 },
  { action: 'release' }
];
await driver.multiTouchAction([finger1, finger2]);

// Long press
await driver.touchAction({
  action: 'longPress',
  x: 100, y: 200,
  duration: 2000
});

Mobile-Specific Scenarios

javascript

// Offline mode testing
test('app works offline', async () => {
  await driver.toggleAirplaneMode();

  await driver.findElement('view-saved-items').click();
  const items = await driver.findElements('saved-item');
  expect(items.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);

  const banner = await driver.findElement('offline-banner');
  expect(banner.getText()).toContain('No internet');

  await driver.toggleAirplaneMode(); // Restore
});

// Location testing
test('location-based features', async () => {
  await driver.setGeoLocation({
    latitude: 37.7749,
    longitude: -122.4194,
    altitude: 0
  });

  const stores = await driver.findElement('stores-list');
  expect(stores.getText()).toContain('San Francisco');
});

// Permission testing (Android)
test('camera permission flow', async () => {
  await driver.findElement('take-photo').click();

  // Handle permission dialog
  await driver.findElement(
    'com.android.packageinstaller:id/permission_allow_button'
  ).click();

  expect(await driver.findElement('camera-view')).toBeDefined();
});

Agent-Driven Mobile Testing

typescript

// Cross-platform mobile testing
await Task("Mobile Test Suite", {
  platforms: ['iOS', 'Android'],
  deviceTiers: [1, 2],
  tests: 'regression-suite',
  parallelDevices: 5,
  deviceFarm: 'browserstack'
}, "qe-test-executor");

// Device farm integration
await Task("Device Farm Execution", {
  service: 'browserstack',
  devices: [
    'iPhone 15 - iOS 17',
    'Samsung Galaxy S24 - Android 14'
  ],
  recordVideo: true,
  captureNetworkLogs: true
}, "qe-test-executor");

Agent Coordination Hints

Memory Namespace

aqe/mobile-testing/
├── device-matrix/*      - Device coverage strategy
├── platform-tests/*     - iOS/Android specific tests
├── gesture-library/*    - Reusable gesture patterns
└── performance/*        - Mobile performance metrics

Fleet Coordination

typescript

const mobileFleet = await FleetManager.coordinate({
  strategy: 'mobile-testing',
  agents: [
    'qe-test-executor',       // Cross-platform execution
    'qe-performance-tester',  // Mobile performance
    'qe-visual-tester'        // Screen size validation
  ],
  topology: 'parallel'
});

Related Skills

accessibility-testing - VoiceOver, TalkBack
performance-testing - Mobile performance
compatibility-testing - Device compatibility

Remember

Mobile is not a smaller desktop - it's a different platform. 60%+ of web traffic is mobile. Device fragmentation (1000+ Android devices), touch gestures, sensors, permissions, offline scenarios - all require specific testing.

Test on real devices for critical flows. Emulators catch 80% of bugs but real devices needed for actual performance, sensor behavior, and platform quirks.

With Agents: qe-test-executor orchestrates testing across device farms, manages platform differences, and tests 10+ devices in parallel. Reduces mobile testing from days to hours.

Search AI Tools

mobile-testing

Install this agent skill to your Project

SKILL.md