Android mobile application testing

The dramatic increase of the mobile platform users led an increase of the popularity of mobile applications. Since, quality of mobile application becomes more important. Testing is an important parameter to ensure the desired quality. While testing the mobile applications, some difficulties occur. Interaction with other applications, screens on devices, sensors on the cameras and other hardware, user interface, energy consumption, complication of the communication are some of the difficulties mentioned above. Since the mobile platform configuration lets users to download and setup applications easily, the data on devices becomes targets for the applications that are running on the same platform. Another problem for the development of mobile applications is lack of sources. Android tests also have additional distinctive problems. While testing, some specific android configuration problems, open-ended topics and different problems occur. An important source of the problems is inexperienced developers. Testing and development of Android applications are affected by the restrictions on devices. All these factors cause difficulties on testing process and quality assurance. In this study, major difficulties of testing mobile applications on Android platform are discussed. An automation solution is proposed for the challenges of mobile tests. In addition, an Android application developed for the thesis has been tested using Robotium test tool.