5 Reasons Why Strategic App Testing is Key to Building Robust Mobile Apps

Mobile applications have become indispensable tools for businesses nowadays. As the world leans more and more toward digital transactions, banking, shopping, and even socializing, mobile apps are becoming indispensable. Mobile users are forecasted to reach over 7.7 billion by 2028, suggesting how the world will rely on mobile apps in the future. However, the performance and reliability of mobile apps are still vulnerable to issues impacting users. This necessitates the need for strategic app testing to ensure that mobile apps ensure seamless user experience. 

By definition, Strategic app testing is a planned approach to Software Quality Assurance (SQA) that integrates testing within the entire mobile app development lifecycle. It involves collaboration between QA testers and developers from the beginning to ensure the app functions flawlessly, is secure, and is cost-effective in the long run. 

Here are five compelling reasons why strategic app testing is essential for building robust mobile apps:

1. Ensures Functionality

At its core, app testing ensures that the app functions as intended without glitches or bugs. Mobile applications affected by glitches and bugs are prone to crashes. Take a shopping app as an example. When a user finds that its checkout process constantly crashes or the items mysteriously disappear from the cart, they will likely get frustrated and uninstall the shopping app. Data shows that 90% of users will stop using the app after experiencing its functions not serving them well. If you are one of those businesses that want their app to have reliable functionality, this can be prevented.  By conducting rigorous testing, developers can identify and rectify these bugs early in the development cycle, ensuring a smoother user experience.

2. Enhances User Experience

Success in mobile apps is measured by their impact on user experience (UX). When a user interacts with an app, one of the most immediate responses is toward its user interface. A seamless user interface is intuitive and enjoyable, suggesting a favorable experience on the user side. However, even the most innovative apps are prone to clunky user interfaces when it is overlooked. When this happens, it is essential to incorporate strategic app testing to solve issues that affect user experience. Strategic app testing is pivotal in refining UX by identifying areas for improvement. Testers can pinpoint navigation issues, responsiveness problems, or design inconsistencies that may detract from the user experience. This objective is achieved by simulating real-world usage scenarios. Addressing these issues early on ensures that the app is intuitive and easy to use, thereby maximizing user satisfaction and retention rates.

3. Improves Performance

When it comes to mobile apps, its favorable reputation depends on its performance. Slow loading times or crashes during peak usage can severely impact a mobile app’s reputation. Strategic app testing helps developers identify and resolve such performance bottlenecks before they reach the end-users. Testing across various devices and network conditions is crucial to ensure consistent performance across the board. Rigorous app testing guarantees a smooth experience regardless of the mobile device’s specifications.  In practice, this should be effective whether users are accessing an app on the latest smartphones or even those older mobile phone models. This optimization enhances user satisfaction and reinforces the app’s reliability and performance in the competitive app market.

4. Boosts Security

In the last quarter of 2023, almost 440,000 malicious installation packages were detected in mobile devices worldwide, a 19% increase compared to the second quarter of the same year. Cybersecurity threats are heightened, especially as generative AI comes into the bigger picture. Incorporating app security is essential to avoid further incidents. This is because mobile apps often handle sensitive user data, from personal information to financial details. 

A single security breach on a mobile can have a devastating impact on both users and app developers. Strategic app testing includes rigorous security testing to identify and address vulnerabilities before release. This proactive approach helps protect user data from unauthorized access. Moreover, security testing ensures compliance with data protection regulations and bolsters user trust in the app’s security measures.

5. Cost-Effectiveness

While some may view testing as an additional cost, it is a proactive investment that pays dividends in the long run. Identifying and fixing issues during development is far more cost-effective than dealing with post-launch bugs or negative user reviews. For example, mobile gaming companies lose about 1.6 trillion annually because their users uninstall or stop playing mobile games. By identifying and fixing bugs before launch, thorough strategic app testing can prevent frustrating user experiences that lead to uninstallations. This translates to better user retention, a key factor in mobile game revenue.

Strategic app testing ultimately saves developers and businesses money by preventing costly downtime, emergency fixes, and potential legal liabilities associated with security breaches. 

Conclusion

Strategic app testing is not just a quality assurance measure but a critical component of building robust and successful mobile apps. By ensuring functionality, enhancing user experience, improving performance, boosting security, and promoting cost-effectiveness, app testing sets the foundation for apps that users love and trust. Developers prioritizing strategic app testing throughout the app development lifecycle greatly benefit from increased user satisfaction, lower maintenance costs, and a competitive advantage in the congested app market. Ultimately, investing time and resources in app testing is an investment in the app’s success and longevity.

Since mobile apps are evolving with the corresponding challenges, finding a software QA partner with demonstrated expertise in the field is crucial. Beta Breakers has the exact tools and know-how to rely on when building robust mobile apps. Their mobile app testing capabilities validate support on various physical iOS and Android devices, whether smartphones or tablets. Contact us today to implement strategic app testing in your current mobile app development.