From time to time, customers ask me how I can actually test apps. Some even assume I must have a huge arsenal of devices in stock, especially to cover all kinds of Android configurations.
For device classes that I do not yet own myself, I do in fact buy a sample device so I can get first feedback early in development. These days, however, that rarely happens, because a fair amount of Apple and Android hardware has accumulated over time for various projects.
Before an app is finished, it is no longer enough to install it on the customer's device or on my own device and conclude from that that everything works on every conceivable configuration. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with that approach if the customer provided a clear device specification, or if you developed a small app for yourself in a private context. But once you target a larger audience, and possibly multiple platforms, that approach is no longer sufficient. In professional mobile app development, a well thought out test strategy is what decides whether an app stays stable in the everyday lives of its users.
As a Xamarin Premier Consulting Partner, I would probably be expected to recommend Xamarin Test Cloud. Unfortunately, at that time it was still in closed beta. Another alternative that can already be used and actively supported is Open Device Labs.
At opendevicelab.com you can find an overview of locations and available devices. In Germany, the Open Device Lab in Nuremberg offers the largest selection with 30 devices. The potential of such Open Device Labs can be seen well at Cover-Up in Bridgend, UK. Very few of us are likely to own 80 devices ourselves.
Open Device Labs are therefore a good alternative for testing your app on the widest possible range of devices, versions, and platforms before submitting it to the relevant app stores.
As a mobile enthusiast and managing director of Cayas Software GmbH, it is very important to me to support my team and our customers in discovering new potential and growing together. Here I mainly write about the development of Android and iOS apps with Xamarin and .NET MAUI.
Bluetooth Low Energy with .NET MAUI: This article shows how to connect BLE-enabled devices cross-platform for Android and iOS. The LEGO Porsche GT4 e-Performance with the official LEGO Wireless Protocol serves as a practical example, including hub service, port detection, and motor control.
Voice input makes it possible to intuitively record food eaten and drunk without having to look at a device or tap. Instead of laboriously entering everything by hand, users can simply record their meals and snacks by voice command. This approach can lower the inhibition threshold and encourage users to continuously document their eating habits. This saves time and encourages regular documentation.
Modern applications are becoming more design-centric and therefore end-user-centric. For the user, the technical side of the program is not at all interesting, but rather taken for granted. Attractive design, animation and ease of use, on the contrary, all other things being equal, can make the application more popular among competitors.