Android vs iOS Mobile App Testing

Over the years, Android has garnered popularity over iOS for different reasons and accessibility being the primary one. According to Statcounter, the market share of Android was 71.85% in September 2024, and it holds 70% of existing users.

Android vs iOS Mobile Testing

When it comes to mobile app testing, Android and iOS require different approaches due to their unique ecosystems. Here are some of the main testing differences:

1. Ecosystem

• iOS: Testing is limited to Apple’s devices, providing a controlled environment for consistent performance.
• Android: With many devices from different manufacturers, Android testing is more complex due to varying hardware and software specs.

2. Device Fragmentation

• iOS: Has low fragmentation, making testing simpler as there are fewer device variations.
• Android: High fragmentation with various OS versions, creating compatibility challenges across devices.

3. App Store Approval

• iOS: Apple’s App Store has a rigorous review process, ensuring strict quality checks.
• Android: Google Play’s review is more relaxed, allowing quicker approvals but requiring developers to focus on internal testing.

4. Programming Language

• iOS: Swift is the primary language, offering a streamlined development and testing experience.
• Android: Uses Java and Kotlin, giving developers flexibility to choose based on their needs.

5. Application Security

• iOS: Apple’s closed system and strict guidelines make it more secure.
• Android: As an open-source platform, Android can be more vulnerable, requiring developers to perform extra security checks.

6. Application Publishing

• iOS: Apps are only available on the App Store after passing strict reviews.
• Android: Apps can be published on the Play Store and other channels, giving developers more distribution options.

Difference between Android and iOS Application testing

Testing for Android and iOS apps involves unique differences. Android testing is challenging due to a wide range of devices, OS versions, and screen sizes, leading to compatibility issues. iOS testing, on the other hand, is simpler in terms of device variety but has stricter guidelines for app approval and security.

Test Automation for iOS and Android App Testing

Here are the tools and frameworks used for Automation Testing of iOS and Android Apps:

1. Appium

This is one of the preferable automation testing tools, as teams can use Appium for iOS and Android testing.  It follows the WebDriver protocol, which makes it more suitable for other frameworks and tools.  It allows you to reuse source code for Android and iOS ecosystems. 

2. BrowserStack App Automate

BrowserStack App Automate supports automated testing for both Android and iOS apps on real devices. It allows teams to run tests simultaneously across a wide range of real devices, ensuring comprehensive testing across different OS versions and hardware configurations. It’s a reliable choice for cross-platform testing without requiring a physical device lab.

3. Calabash

Calabash is a mobile test automation framework that works with Ruby, Java, Flex, and .NET. This framework has libraries that allow test scripts to interact programmatically with native and hybrid apps.

4. Selendroid

Selendroid is also known as Selenium for Android mobile apps for Android. It can execute parallel test cases on multiple devices, similar to Selenium for cross-browser testing. 

5. XCUITest

This is the best testing tool for iOS apps. XCUITest  is well-known for providing fast test execution, easy test management, etc. It creates automated test scripts for native iOS apps.

Core Differences in Testing Android vs iOS 

As discussed in the previous section, here are some key highlights between iOS and Android testing –

Why run iOS and Android Tests on Real Devices?

Testing on real devices is crucial to ensure that apps work as expected in real world scenarios. Simulators and emulators can help during early testing stages, but they don’t fully capture the real device experience. Testing on actual iOS and Android devices is the best way to catch issues and ensure your app performs well for users.

Benefits of Testing on Real Devices

Here are some of the core benefits of Testing on real devices:

• True Device Performance: Real devices reveal how an app actually performs under different conditions like low battery or memory constraints – things emulators can’t accurately simulate.
• Network Accuracy: Real devices let you test how your app behaves on various network speeds (like 3G, 4G, 5G) which emulators can’t fully replicate.
• Real User Interactions: Features like push notifications, GPS and camera usage work best on physical devices, helping you ensure a smooth user experience.
• Cross-Device Compatibility: With many devices on the market, testing on real devices confirms that your app works across various screens, OS versions and models.

Talk to an Expert

Why use BrowserStack App Live?

BrowserStack App Live and App Automate makes real device testing easy. It provides instant access to 3500+ real iOS and Android devices, so you don’t need to buy or manage them yourself. It offers reliable testing to help your app meet user expectations on both iOS and Android.

With BrowserStack App Live and App Automate, you can:

• Test Apps on Real Devices Anytime: Access a wide range of real devices instantly, no setup needed.
• Get Real-World Conditions: Test under actual network conditions to ensure a reliable app experience.
• Quickly Find and Fix Issues: Built-in tools help you identify and resolve issues faster.
• Collaborate Easily: Share test results with your team instantly, making it easier for everyone to stay aligned.

Conclusion

This article explains distinction between Android and iOS testing and how these two operating systems differ. They cater to two different customer bases and have their benefits and drawbacks. So, if you are planning to move with mobile app testing, then with BrowserStack, you can complete this process faster and more efficiently. 

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