Software 2009: Mobile Wireless Test Automation
So, is your session only for software testers?
No, rather it helps people to understand some of the manifold testing challenges related to applications that need to work
on mobile devices, using some sort of wireless connection e.g. to download data from a web server. The tutorial includes concepts
and practical tips on how some of the tests can be automated for different mobile platforms e.g. for Symbian, or Java Micro
Edition (known as J2ME), and for mobile web browsers including WAP, xHTML and AJAX applications.
Who could also be interested?
Developers, project managers, and people who are interested in learning more about some of the challenges and solutions involved
in testing software written for mobile wireless devices such as mobile phones. The tutorial touches on some of the development
challenges, as developing effective, reliable mobile applications is a challenge, with specific development tools.
How would you describe the evolution of software applications on mobile phones?
I’ve been directly involved in mobile applications for about three years, so my answers from this perspective... SMS and WAP
applications both predate my involvement and were two early examples of how a mobile device could interact with a server to
obtain useful information (ranging from horoscopes to local business results). J2ME has matured over the years, and has proven
a useful middle-ground in terms of providing a relatively attractive and powerful application that’s able to run on lots of
different devices. In the last few years, native applications written for one group of devices e.g. for Nokia Series 60 devices,
or for Window Mobile have provided better integration with the phone with a richer UI. Specialist platforms such as the Blackberry
covered a niche market and I personally carry two virtually everywhere (I have about 30 handsets and carry between 3 and 10
on a daily basis). The launch of Apple’s iPhone dramatically changed the perception of what mobile phones could do, and changed
the way users view and interact with phones. Numerous manufacturers subsequently released phones with a touch screen and a
very visual UI. The Android operating system platform is starting to change the development practices, for instance 100’s
of developers have released free applications for this platform. Other mobile phone platforms are also being open-sourced
e.g. Nokia with the Symbian OS.
Maybe you can tell me some inportant junctures in the mobile-era?
The cost of data across the wireless networks is coming down significantly which means users generally don’t need to worry
about how much using a mobile application costs (unless they’re abroad when the costs are still generally prohibitive). Some
recent high-profile devices such as the iPhone and the G1 are often bundled with data contracts from network operators. Wifi
is now viable and reliable on mobile devices, which again increases the likelihood of users using mobile applications, ranging
from email, calendar and web-browsing, to online games.
Touch screen UI’s (see the previous question) are loved by some users and avoided by others. There are even some unlikely
applications such as a phone dialer written for the G1 device by a blind Google software engineer (see http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/business/04blind.html?pagewanted=all) who uses the G1 as his main phone. Location based services have enabled new genre of applications, e.g. for getting directions
based on where you are rather than where you think you are! Again I’ve touched on open-sourcing of the mobile platforms by
Google and Nokia as two major examples, open-source software is become more acceptable and invisible to users on computers
ranging from lightweight laptops to mobile phones.
If you could predict the future, how advanced do you think the applications will turn?
I can’t predict the future in general, or mobile applications in particular. However I expect that new applications will follow
similar trends observed in other technology domains where improvements are many and incremental, with occasional ground-breaking
ideas. For me, mobile email and maps are the two applications I love most.
