• Latest
  • All
  • How To
Android Fragmentation

Passing the Test: What You Need to Know About Software Testing

February 25, 2020
Former Safaricom Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Cynthia Karuri-Kropac

Frankline Okata Takes Over as Cynthia Karuri-Kropac Exits Safaricom PLC

July 10, 2025
AI

OpenAI, Perplexity Launch AI Browsers to Rival Google

July 10, 2025
Vivo-Y29-4G

Vivo Y29 Launches in Kenya at KES 23,999

July 10, 2025
galaxy z fold7-galaxy z flip7-samsung

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 with Bigger Screens

July 10, 2025
DHgate Tablet Cases deals
GTA VI

Rockstar May Be Testing 96-Player Servers for GTA 6

July 10, 2025
Former X CEO, Linda Yaccarino

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years

July 9, 2025
Apple-WWDC25-iOS-26

iPhone Users Are Not Too Happy With the iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design

July 9, 2025
Official document handover by Bernard Mwonyonyo and Habib Lukaya from Roam.

E-Mobility in Kenya Gets a Lift with New Bike Financing Program

July 9, 2025
Samsung

This Samsung Security Update Could Change How You Use Your Phone

July 9, 2025
tecno ultimate g fold concept

TECNO Joins Tri-Fold Race With Ultimate G Fold Concept Phone

July 10, 2025
Microsoft Edge browser

Microsoft Makes Edge 40% Faster in a Bid to Lure Chrome Users

July 8, 2025
Weak Checks Make Kenyan Digital Lenders Easy Targets for Criminals

Weak Checks Make Kenyan Digital Lenders Easy Targets for Criminals

July 8, 2025
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
No Result
View All Result

Passing the Test: What You Need to Know About Software Testing

Rebecca Wilcox by Rebecca Wilcox
February 25, 2020
in Editorial
Reading Time: 4 mins read
258
2
Android Fragmentation

On April 26, 1994, China Airlines Airbus A300 crashed, taking 264 lives. This tragedy can be traced to a software bug. Recounting other software related mishaps, Guru99.com also reports:

  • In 1985,Canada’s Therac-25 radiation therapy machine malfunctioned due to software bug and delivered lethal radiation doses to patients ,leaving 3 people dead and critically injuring 3 others
  • In April of 1999 ,a software bug caused the failure of a $1.2 billion military satellite launch, the costliest accident in history
  • In may of 1996, a software bug caused the bank accounts of 823 customers of a major U.S. bank to be credited with 920 million US dollars

Every one of these horrendous events might have been avoided with more diligent software testing. These are not isolated events, and still happen to this day. Mistakes cannot be eliminated from the human equation. And software is still a very human equation.

A human has to design the software in the first place. They design it for other humans to use in ways that the designer may not have originally intended, on hardware that the designer may not have been able to completely predict, in circumstances far beyond the designer’s control. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges you may not have considered:

Fragmentation

Fragmentation is a word that is casually tossed about in tech circles, usually as a pejorative against the Android operating system. It refers to the unmanageable diversity of product types and attributes in the Android ecosystem.Android Fragmentation

This image represents the current state of what is known as Android fragmentation. OpenSignal is the company responsible for compiling this information. Their data shows 18,769 distinct Android devices downloading its app.

These devices all have different hardware specs, different screen sizes and resolutions, and running different versions of the Android operating system. Currently, there are 6 versions compared to 2 on iOS. While the latest version of iOS is on 9 out of 10 Apple devices, only 2 out of 10 Android devices sport the latest version of the operating system.

Just by looking at these differences, it is easy to see why popular applications come out on iOS first. Developers are able to test their apps against every iOS device configuration as there are only a handful. On Android, this is simply not possible. Developers have to pick and choose which devices they will target. Even if the iOS and Android projects were started at the same time, Android testing takes a lot longer, and will be a lot more difficult and expensive.

Applications intended for corporate and government use require an even more rigorous standard of testing. In this sector, fragmentation is not an excuse, but an opportunity. The challenge is not just software testing, but software testing at scale. For consumer-based ventures, Tricentis functional testing is one of the solutions serving the virtualized E2E niche. This market sector needs to:

  • Test case design and risk coverage in one tool.
  • Save time by simulating real test environments.
  • Test complex systems without scripting.

Enterprise software testing tools go well beyond the needs of the average software house that just has to make sure their latest updates look okay on the two most popular screen sizes. Regardless of the market segment, a highly diverse hardware landscape has to be accounted for.

Software Conflicts

Fragmentation is low-hanging fruit. But it is far from the only challenge for software testing. Let’s say you have designed and coded a perfectly functioning application. You test it in every conceivable way on your developer device. Because you want that device to run smoothly and predictably, you have nothing on that device beyond the bare essentials to run it.

Unfortunately, that is not how the general public will be experiencing your application. They will be running it on machines that have all their personal data, and all of their downloaded apps. Consumers are also not the most security conscious people in the world. They will download anything free. They leave Facebook running in the background non-stop. They never close apps. Oh, and they might be running a rooted OS to enable free tethering.

The point being, real app use by real people is a messy and unpredictable affair. Developers cannot just test their apps in a cleanroom, on clean devices. Sometimes it takes months of the product being out in the wild before it can be truly tested.

Feature Compatibility

Smartphone operating systems are extremely complicated. Even iOS, known for its simplicity, has a great deal of non-intuitive complexity. This feature creep is inevitable because each year, all companies are compelled to add new things to keep the OS feeling fresh. This can be fun for consumers, but a nightmare for developers.

Take the accessibility features in iOS as an example. Now, responsible developers have to make sure that the built-in screen reader can read the app. Apple provides the resources for this. But not even all of Apple’s applications are 100% compatible with their screen reader.

The Notification Center is activated by a single-finger swipe down gesture, while Control Center is a single-finger swipe up. What if your app already uses those gestures for something else? Too bad. You have to test for that and make the appropriate changes. TextKit allows for dynamic resizing of certain text elements. How does that effect the usability of your app which was crafted for a fixed text size? Good luck with that. And that is just a few considerations for iOS. The challenges is exponentially worse when testing for additional platforms.

Comprehensive software testing is the single most important step a developer can take before releasing their software into the wild.

Tags: AndroidiOSSmartphones
SendShare146Tweet92
Rebecca Wilcox

Rebecca Wilcox

Rebecca is interested in ways that technology makes the world a happier place. She thrives on coffee, spice and everything nice.

Related Posts

Apple-WWDC25-iOS-26

iPhone Users Are Not Too Happy With the iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design

July 9, 2025
Open TV

Open TV Brings Fast and Ad-Free IPTV to Android

July 7, 2025
ios 26-facetime

iOS 26 May Pause Video if You Start Undressing on FaceTime

July 3, 2025
How to Install a VPN and the Best Options in Kenya

How to Install a VPN and the Best Options in Kenya

June 27, 2025
How to Secure Your Phone and Yourself During Protests

How to Secure Your Phone (and Yourself) During Protests

June 25, 2025
Android 16

Google Releases Android 16 Early with Powerful New Tools

June 11, 2025

Latest

Former Safaricom Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Cynthia Karuri-Kropac

Frankline Okata Takes Over as Cynthia Karuri-Kropac Exits Safaricom PLC

July 10, 2025
AI

OpenAI, Perplexity Launch AI Browsers to Rival Google

July 10, 2025
Vivo-Y29-4G

Vivo Y29 Launches in Kenya at KES 23,999

July 10, 2025
galaxy z fold7-galaxy z flip7-samsung

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 with Bigger Screens

July 10, 2025
GTA VI

Rockstar May Be Testing 96-Player Servers for GTA 6

July 10, 2025
Former X CEO, Linda Yaccarino

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years

July 9, 2025

Best devices

budget smartwatches 2025

Best Budget Smartwatches To Buy in Kenya 2025

February 13, 2025

Best Infinix Smartphones To Buy in Kenya 2024

February 13, 2025

Best Laptops for Battery Life in 2024

August 21, 2024

Best “Battery Warrior” Smartphones To Buy in 2024

August 22, 2024

Frankline Okata Takes Over as Cynthia Karuri-Kropac Exits Safaricom PLC

July 10, 2025

OpenAI, Perplexity Launch AI Browsers to Rival Google

July 10, 2025

Techweez is a fast growing influential source of technology news, reviews and analysis by leading tech geeks in the industry.

Follow Us

Editorials

Abductions and Arrests! Kenyan Government’s Fear and Hate of X Users Makes No Sense

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

Samsung QLED TVs Now Officially Certified for Real Quantum Dot Technology

Trump’s Tariffs Will Be the End of Affordable Tech

5 Ways to Prep Your Tech for Resale

The Weaponization of PDFs: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting a Trusted Format

More News

iPhone Users Are Not Too Happy With the iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design

E-Mobility in Kenya Gets a Lift with New Bike Financing Program

This Samsung Security Update Could Change How You Use Your Phone

TECNO Joins Tri-Fold Race With Ultimate G Fold Concept Phone

Microsoft Makes Edge 40% Faster in a Bid to Lure Chrome Users

Weak Checks Make Kenyan Digital Lenders Easy Targets for Criminals

  • Terms Of Use
  • Techweez Brand
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!

Hey there! Just a heads-up: we're big fans of cookies - both the digital and edible kind! 🍪 We use our cookies and some from third parties to ensure your browsing experience on our site is smooth sailing and secure.

 

But wait, there's more! We also use cookies to gather stats and insights on how you navigate our site. It's like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at your digital adventures!

 

Don't worry, you're in control. You can adjust your cookie settings anytime to suit your preferences. Feeling curious? Dive into our Privacy Policy for all the juicy details. Happy browsing! 🚀

Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
  • Automotive
  • Entertainment

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.