Android Emulators vs Real Devices for App Testing

Online Android Emulators or Simulators have been used for App Testing on PC. ... As a result, your mobile app may pass an Android emulator test, but fail on ... SkiptomaincontentCheckoutournewcoursesonMobileTestingwithBrowserStackAppAutomate.LogintoTestUniversityAndroidEmulatorsRealDevicesTestingonRealDevicesisbetter.   GetStartedFree TestingonRealDevicesisbetter. GetStartedFree.  ContactUsAndroidEmulatorsvsPhysicalDevicesAndroidemulatorssimulatethehardwareandsoftwareofAndroiddevicesonyourcomputersothatyoucantestyourAndroidappswithouthavingaphysicaldeviceinhand.Whileeasilyaccessibleandinexpensive,emulatorshavesignificantdevicehardwareandsoftwarelimitations.Asaresult,yourmobileappmaypassanAndroidemulatortest,butfailonarealdevice.Infact,GoogleevenrecommendsthatyoutestyourmobileapponarealdevicepriortosubmittingittothePlayStore!HowdoAndroidEmulatorsandPhysicalAndroidDevicescompare Afterspeakingtoourtensofthousandsofcustomers,wehavecreatedachecklistthatcompareswhatyoucantestonemulatorsandrealdevices.AndroidEmulatorPhysicalAndroidDeviceBrowserstackRealDevicesMobileAppFunctionalityAppbasicfunctionalityandUIlayoutApplicationloadspeedTestinterrupts,batteryconsumption,CPU&memoryutilizationNaturalgestures(tap,scroll,zoom,pinch,pinchandzoomandmore)ColorsandresolutionswhichrenderdifferentlyondifferentscreendensitiesUIperformance(transitionsandorientation)Hardwarefunctionality(bluetooth,camera,gps,andmore)ComingsoonAppperformanceacrossdeviceconfigurations(chipsets,memory,etc.)100%realworldaccuracyAdvantagesoftestingrealdevicesinthecloudComparedtoAndroidemulators,physicalAndroiddeviceshavethebenefitoftestingperformanceandaccuracy.However,thisrequiresbuying,configuringandmaintainingalabofdevices.OurRealDeviceCloudgivesyouinstantaccessto1000sofrealAndroiddevicestotestyourmobileapplications,rightfromyourbrowser.CriteriaPhysicalAndroidDeviceBrowserStackRealDeviceCloudProcurementDifficultEasyStorageDifficultEasyMaintenanceDifficultEasyParalleltestingDifficultEasySharingdevicesbetweenremoteteamsDifficultEasyDevicecoverageUpto$1200perdevice$59permonthFrequentlyAskedQuestionsWhatisanAndroidEmulator?AnAndroidEmulatorisusedtomimicaspecificdevicethatrunsonanAndroidoperatingsystem(OS).AndroidEmulatorscanhelptestapplicationsonAndroiddevices,toavoidanyproductiondefects.WhydousersoptforanAndroidEmulator?Androiduserbaseaccountsforcloseto75%oftheglobalmarketshare,asStatcounter.Hence,foranyapporwebsitedeveloper,providingacleanandbug-freeexperienceforusersrunningAndroidOSbecomesverycritical.Interestingly,thenumberofAndroidusersondifferentversionsareequallydistributedwithOreo8.1(19%),Marshmallow6(15%),Oreo8.0(15%),latestversionPie9.0(14%),Nougat7.0(11%)andLollipop5.1(10%).However,itisexpensivetomaintainarealAndroiddevicelabduetoregulardevicemaintenancecostsandconstantdeviceupgradesbasedonnewdevicereleases.Therefore,usersoptforanAndroidEmulatoronline.TestNowonAndroidDevices.HowdoesanAndroidEmulatorreallywork?AnAndroidEmulatorforPCreplicatesabrowseroranAndroidApp,onadefinedoperatingsystem(likeWindows,Mac).ItattemptstocreatevirtualhardwareconditionsofanAndroiddevice,whichcanbeusedforthepurposeoftestinganddebugging.TherearemultipleAndroidEmulatorsOnlineinthemarketlikeAndyEmulator,whichhavetheirownsetoflimitationsandwillneverprovidearealdeviceenvironmentforbug-freetesting.WhatarethedisadvantagesoftestingonanAndroidEmulator?Thetopreasonsforausertouninstallanapporexitthewebsitearehighmemoryconsumption,batterydrainage,inefficientRAMutilization,slowloadtimes.SuchmajorconcernscannotbetestedonanAndroidEmulatorsincethesehardwareconfigurationscannotbemimickedinanemulator.OnlineAndroidEmulatorsforPCtendstobeslowinvirtualization,asitonlypartiallymimicsthefunctionalityofthesoftwareaswellasthehardware.Suchemulatorsdon’tdojusticetotheworldoftestingwheretestersneedtoperformregressionandendtoendtestingonAndroiddevices,andnotcompromiseoncertaintestcases.WhyuseRealDeviceCloudinsteadofAndroidEmulators?BrowserStackprovidesinstantaccessto3000+realmobiledevicesandbrowsersoverthecloud.TestingonaRealdevicecloudcanhelpyoutotestinreal-worldscenarioswithadditionalfeaturesatyourdisposal.Thus,commonusecaseslikeusingnaturalgesturesandcamera,batterydraincanbetested.TestNowonAndroidDevices.BrowserStackalsoprovidesanoptiontointegratewithCI/CDtoolslikeTravisCI,Jenkins,TeamCityandmore.QATestersandDeveloperscancollaboratebysharingbugsviaourJIRA,GitHub,TrelloandSlackintegrations.StartTestingYourMobileAppTryAppLiveTryAppAutomateWeusecookiestoenhanceuserexperience.Bycontinuingtobrowseorclosingthisbanner,youagreetoourPrivacyPolicy&TermsofService.AcceptAllTalktoanExpertCreateaFREEaccountNocreditcardrequired!SignupwithGoogleorLoginIagreetoBrowserStack'sTermsofServiceandPrivacyPolicy.Alreadyhaveanaccount?SigninWhat’sIncluded?Live-30minsofinteractivebrowsertestingAppLive-30minsofinteractiveapptestingAutomate-100minsofautomatedbrowsertestingAppAutomate-100minsofautomatedapptestingPercy-50,000screenshots/monthforvisualtestingInstantaccessto1000+realdevicesTestingoninternaldevelopmentenvironmentsJira,Trello,GitHubandSlackintegration HealthcarecompanyGoodRxusedBrowserStacktoreduceTestingTimeby90%toRelease15TimesaDayOptimizelyruns15000+testsevery45minuteswiththehelpofBrowserStackCarousellusedBrowserStacktoreducemanualregressiontimeby7x