AWS Device Farm Now Tests BrowserBased Apps on iOS and Android Devices

Amazon Web Services launched the AWS Device Farm this July to provide support for testing native and hybrid applications on iOS and Android devices. The AWS Device Farm provides the ability to test apps in the cloud against a large collection of real phones and tablets without the complexity and expense of deploying and maintaining device labs and automation infrastructure. Device Farm supports native and hybrid Android, iOS, and Fire OS apps, including those created with PhoneGap, Titanium, Xamarin, Unity, and other frameworks.

Now the company has added support for testing browser-based applications on iOS and Android devices. Developers can now create a single test run that spans any desired combination of supported devices and makes use of the Appium Java JUnit or Appium Java TestNG frameworks.

Developers can use the AWS Device Farm by uploading an app and the service runs tests on a fleet of unique device/OS combinations. Within a few minutes the system provides  detailed reports that pinpoint bugs, performance problems, and other issues. Developers can also automatically initiate tests by integrating with continuous integration tools such as the Cloudbees Jenkins Platform.

Run tests across a large selection of physical devices in parallel from various manufacturers with varying hardware, OS versions and form factors. Unlike emulators, physical devices provide a more accurate understanding of how users interact with an app, by taking into account factors such as memory, CPU usage, location, and modifications done by manufactures and carriers to the firmware and software.

Focus on the most important issues by viewing detailed, actionable reports. 

AWS identifies and groups problems across every device, so developers can quickly analyze results, logs, screenshots, and performance data across tests.

Fine-tune the test environment by configuring location, language, application data, and installing prerequisite apps to simulate real-world customer conditions. 

Run the built-in test suite with no scripting required. Or customize tests by selecting from a range of open-source test frameworks like Appium, Calabash, and Espresso.

Use the platform’s service plug-ins and API to automatically initiate tests from continuous integration systems like Jenkins and other development tools.

Each device is dedicated for the duration of a test and completely isolated from other devices at the software and hardware level. After each test run, the devices are wiped to remove the application and data.

Pricing is based on device minutes, which are determined by the number of devices used and the duration of tests. AWS Device Farm comes with a free tier of 250 device minutes. After that the cost is $0.17 per device minute. As testing needs grow, there is an option to opt for unmetered testing plan, which allows unlimited testing for a flat monthly fee of $250 per device with no long term contract.

Appium Java JUnit

Appium Java TestNG

Calabash

Instrumentation (JUnit, Espresso, Robotium, or any instrumentation-based tests)

UI Automator

Explorer

Appium Java JUnit

Appium Java TestNG

Calabash

UI Automation

XCTest (including KIF)

Appium Java JUnit

Appium Java TestNG