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In the software testing world there are many different aspects of testing. You have performance testing, automated testing, manual testing, web application testing, and then you have mobile application testing. Mobile application testing does not refer to you being mobile when you do the testing. Instead, it is talking about mobile devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry and Android to name a few.

Any mobile device that has software applications has been run through mobile application testing. You may have heard of beta tested software applications in which the software is released so that a graphical user interface can be used to test the software. This general principle applies to mobile application testing as well. A beta version of the application to be uploaded to mobile devices will be created.

In mobile application testing the tester will use this beta version to look for any bugs that could hinder a normal user. Let's walk through a mobile device to understand the application testing more thoroughly. You have a mobile phone. When you turn on the phone it needs to load a series of applications. If it is an iPhone it will have internet software, email software, pictures, video, music, and perhaps even 20 different software applications. Each of these applications has to be tested.

The tests will look to see if the application will load based on the mobile phone set up. For example, if you have too many applications on the phone will the internet application work? If you exceed your memory for music downloads will the phone shut down? Mobile application testing will put the phone through heavy testing. In fact, it will be tested a lot harder than the normal person will ever use the phone.

You will also find the mobile application testing tester has tested the applications for normal use. They will correct any bugs found in the software, offer disclaimers if something cannot be fixed by the release, and ensure the product is quality assured. For example a disclaimer might say if you do A then B will occur causing problem C, which alerts the user not to try such a protocol.