8 TIPS FOR EFFICIENT TESTING OF SMART TV APPLICATIONS

INTRODUCTION:

When it comes to app success, quality should come first. Users have zero tolerance for sluggish, unstable apps, and unfavorable reviews can lead to the demise of a mobile app.

The television business has quickly adapted to the recent drive toward connection and interoperability, quickly becoming commonplace in practically all areas of the consumer electronics market. Statistics show that the television market revenue is said to reach 178.4 billion USD by 2026. Sometimes traditional testing becomes tedious; testers move to Smart TV automation testing. Nonetheless, poor quality is widespread. As a result, intelligent QA and testing are critical. 

SMART TV & ITS POPULARITY

The significant advantage of a smart TV is the ability to access multiple channels that offer TV shows, music, and movies without the need to connect a TV antenna or subscribe to a cable/satellite service. In addition, some smart TVs provide online surfing, gaming, and access to suitable media material on your computer.

TIPS TO CONSIDER WHILE TESTING SMART TV APPLICATIONS

Here are eight tips for efficient app testing on smart TVs.

Automation:

Manual testing has its own set of perks which is undeniable for sure. But automation has steadily replaced traditional testing to improve efficiency and save time. 

Smart TV test automation must address more than just functional difficulties. When user settings change, the user experience and interfaces, critical to app success, might respond differently.

To fill out the testing, companies want video and frame images of the outcomes.

Time Budget:

As vital as video review is, it adds another layer of complexity. Someone has to watch the tape, which means extra time and personnel. So, the simpler you make the software, the less footage there is to examine each device.

The need for rigorous testing may appear onerous initially, but build the time into the development and release timelines. That may seem unachievable, especially given the tight timelines for incremental releases. Nonetheless, the hazards of insufficient testing are too severe from a strategic business standpoint.

Theory Understanding for Coverage:

The proper use of testing theory can aid in reducing the number of test cases and the time required to perform them. Rogan Creswick, a research lead at R&D firm Galois Inc., is a proponent of using static analysis to define code behavior without running it.

Avoid Emulators:

Emulators are software programs that simulate essential functions of Smart TVs. Because Smart TVs are pricey and it is impossible to arrange all the many versions of the actual TVs, developers instead utilize emulators.

However, specific Smart TV platforms (such as ROKU) do not provide emulators, while others that give emulators are not entirely functional. It leads to ineffective testing.

Resolution:

With varied resolutions such as 8K, 4K, Ultra HD, Full HD, and 720p, an app may run great in one but freeze in another. CSS is to blame since it is written in pixels or EM. Because most TVs do not support pixel CSS, the development team must exercise extreme caution.

Comparing with the competitor app:

Smart TV is a new area, and both testers and developers are unfamiliar with its potential, features, functionality, UI, and capabilities. Because of that, the features and functions should be tested rigorously against competition applications or platform native apps. Because each platform has unique behavior, testers must validate the platform’s boundaries using either dev documentation or previously created apps. Comparing applications aids in determining a scenario (for example, if a radio button is supported or not).

Core Focus on App UI:

In smart TV app testing, testers must think like designers because:

Platform behavior may create certain deviations from the design. The testing team should eventually determine and proceed with an acceptable solution.

A smart TV app is not like a smartphone app, where one can add numerous features. Smart TV is limited to capabilities obtained with the fewest user actions.

Every detail must be examined. (For example, text on an app should be viewable from a certain distance away.)

Last but not least,

Video & Audio Streaming:

The ability of Smart TVs to stream videos contributes to their appeal. As a result, every streaming situation should be evaluated thoroughly. This includes the following:

1. Streaming video once the internet reconnects

2. Audio and video play should be synchronized.

3. Live video should be in sync across many platforms.

4. Video buffering with forward and rewind functions

5. Earphone audio playback

6. While the video is playing, the screensaver is activated.

HOW HEADSPIN TESTS SMART TVs

The tools provided by HeadSpin make it simple and efficient to test media content across many Smart TVs, connected devices, and Smart TV applications. Measure and monitor user experiences when testing apps on Smart TV, DRM-protected content, voice activation, and speaker-based use cases.

HeadSpin natively supports the open source Appium framework and has created a solution for network devices like the 4K for Appium. The open source Appium version only supports Apple TV 4th generation, not 4K. 

HeadSpin makes Smart TV app testing easier. It: 

• Increases productivity through automation.

• KPIs for Quality of Experience and Streaming Performance

• In addition to functional testing, test various non-functional requirements (NFR).

• Perform testing on Smart TVs.

This is how HeadSpin does app testing on smart TV.

A high-resolution camera is set directly across from the Smart TV being tested. This camera takes video, and the quality of the collected footage is constantly evaluated.

CONCLUSION:

Companies frequently deploy mobile applications to get input, which might result in a marketing nightmare. The need would be better addressed by beta testing, which many overlook since they believe launching an app means releasing it to everyone. When the last problem is fixed in-house, testing isn’t over.

Global Revenue of TVs from 2013 to 2026

Finally, after the app is out, the loop is closed by monitoring user input to help drive further testing, problem fixes, and design. Then one should be ready to begin over with the following edition.