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Emulators vs. Real Devices For Test Automation: Which Is Better?

Real testing devices are various mobile handset models used to test a website’s or mobile app’s behavior and functions. These are the actual mobile handsets used by the end user.

Real testing devices are various mobile handset models used to test a website’s or mobile app’s behavior and functions. These are the actual mobile handsets used by the end user.

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EMULATORS VS. REAL DEVICES

WHICH IS BETTER?


Emulators vs. Real Devices For Test

Automation: Which Is Better?

With the advancement of technology, testing has also seen

improvements in mobile testing solutions.

These solutions are designed to support mobile apps and

cross-browser testing of websites on various mobile phones by

analyzing the application’s function, behavior, and user interface.

Because there are so many mobile devices, each with its own

operating system, hardware configuration, and screen resolution, what

works on one device may not work on another.

For mobile testing, there are primarily two types of devices:


Emulators vs. Real Devices For Test Automation:

Pros & Cons

Real Devices

Real testing devices are various mobile handset models used to test

a website’s or mobile app’s behavior and functions. These are the

actual mobile handsets used by the end user.

These tests are carried out by purchasing several mobile handsets

running various operating systems, such as Android and iOS, as well

as tablets and iPad devices.

Virtual Devices

A virtual device is a program that simulates the mobile device’s real

software and hardware. Emulators and simulators are two types of

virtual devices used for this purpose.

This is accomplished by translating the target device’s ISA (Instruction

Set Architecture) to the computer. It completely replicates your target

device’s work and creates a virtual testing environment.

Evolution of Testing: From Real To Virtual Testing

Devices

Real device mobile testing has become difficult with the release of

over 60 Android phones and 18 iOS versions in 2020. Testing

strategies have evolved to virtual devices, whether you are testing the

mobile application manually or through automation.


Although results generated on real devices are more accurate, the

testing cost is very high because the company must purchase many

mobile devices and update them as new devices enter the market.

Virtual testing devices for mobile apps and cross-browser compatibility

testing have been introduced to reduce the cost of real-world device

testing.

When To Use Emulators Vs. Real Devices For Test

Automation?

There are numerous advantages to using emulators and real devices,

but the testing strategy is determined by the risk and stage of the

application.

The best option for test automation is to use an emulator. If the users’

primary goal is responsiveness, real and virtual testing should be

used.

Furthermore, the emulator is significantly less expensive than using a

real device. When the main danger is swiping and dragging the

application, the emulator may be the best option.

Many organizations prefer to conduct only real-world device testing,

which is very expensive. As a result, the general rule is to use

emulators for both hardware and software.

When different memory allocations and central processing units are

used, an emulator can test the application’s behavior. Emulators are

especially useful when testing must be performed under various

conditions.


On the other hand, Emulators are more useful when combined with

real-world device testing practices.

Pros and Cons of Automating Tests In Emulators

Advantages

● The most significant advantage of the emulator is the price,

which is either free or very low.

● You only need to download and install the application to start.

Emulators are client software that runs locally.

They rely on fewer or no real devices and run faster than real devices

connected to a local network or the cloud. The emulator is included in

the SDK that software developers receive.

● Mobile emulators with a strong development environment

integration provide access to detailed debugging information,

which is critical during the development phase. In addition, it

enables testers to proceed with the application’s step-by-step

debugging on the emulator.

Furthermore, there may be instances where mobile emulators provide

enormous benefits by simulating difficult-to-replicate scenarios (such

as specific GPS coordinates, low battery, and so on) that a real device

cannot support.

Disadvantages


● Even if the testing goes flawlessly, there is no guarantee that the

data can be applied to a real device. Instead, it asks which tests

must be verified in real-time and which can be trusted on

emulators.

● Also, if the test fails on the emulator, it is critical to determine

whether the function should be tested on the mobile device or

assumed to be unchanged.

● Another disadvantage is that the emulators must be run on a PC

and connected to a LAN to access the internet.

● The network is directly connected to the radio interface and the

internet while using devices. Different network environments can

cause different application behaviors in many cases.

● Because the mobile device is a phone, network-related events

(text messages, incoming calls, etc.) should be tested to assess

the application’s impact.

● And performing these tests with an emulator can be difficult

because network quality varies between states, carriers, regions,

and countries. Because emulators are connected to the mobile

network, they cannot detect the effects on the application.

Pros and Cons of Automating Tests In Real Devices

Advantages

● Testing on real devices always yields accurate results, with no

concerns about false positives or negatives. This type of testing

takes place in a live network. It is an essential testing procedure

because it is unaffected by network-related events. For example,


the entire testing process will be lost if a text message or phone

call arrives in the middle of a transaction.

● Furthermore, network technologies (LTE, HSDPA, WIFI, etc.)

can significantly impact the application’s behavior.

● Real-world device testing is the only way to understand a given

device’s user experience, screen size, and CPU factors.

● Real handset operations can provide the best testing results for

service quality. Furthermore, real-world devices make it much

easier to detect performance flaws.

Disadvantages

● As previously stated, real devices are physical handsets that

must be managed appropriately. However, the costs and logistics

of acquiring these resources are incredibly high.

● Another issue is the variety of handsets that must be purchased

and which devices must be obtained. Real devices are more

challenging to connect to an IDE in the early stages of

development than emulators, which can slow down the

debugging process.

Disadvantages of Both: Emulators and Real Devices



Tests that only real devices can perform:

Tests run on real devices can perform network, performance, real OS

(with manufacturer’s tweaks), user interaction, and battery

consumption tests. This level of complexity is achieved only through a

product identical to that of the end user’s, not an emulator.

Network: On varied networks like 2G, 3G, 4G, and under different

network conditions like low bandwidth or high latency, app testing can

only be conducted using real devices.

Performance: Emulators are not the best for many testing situations,

such as circumstances where developers need to test performance

over an extended period of time.

Real OS (With Manufacturer’s Tweaks): It is not enough if an app is

tested on a single OS version of a device. For the app’s success and

positive rating, it has to be tested on a myriad of real devices with

different OS versions.

User Interactions: Using physical inputs like Zooming, Pinching,

Scrolling are considerably different on touch-screens. Also, sensor

inputs such as GPS, proximity sensors, shake, and NFC cannot be

simulated.

Battery Consumption: The only way to test an app with varied

battery conditions is by using physical devices. Emulators cannot

simulate activity under different stages of battery life.

Winning Strategy

Although real-device testing is the best option, emulators can be used

in the early stages of the development lifecycle.


Later on, you can move on to real-world devices. With a cloud testing

solution provider, you can also scale up your test automation and run

tests on as many devices as you need.

Real Device Cloud Testing With TestGrid

You now know the answer to your question: whether to use emulators

or real devices for test automation.

Your next step should be to find the right balance of real-device and

emulator-based testing while combining and complementing the two

approaches with the best cloud testing solution.

Conclusion

For comprehensive test automation, a hybrid approach is often best.

Begin with emulators for quick functional testing and use real devices

for thorough testing of performance, usability, and device-specific

features to ensure a flawless user experience.

Source: This article was originally published at testgrid.io.

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