Software Testing Tools Blog – Testertools

AppLabs, the world’s largest independent software testing company, is developing an automated test harness for Android-based devices. The company has a global development centre in Hyderabad.

In software testing, an automated test harness is a collection of software and test data configured to test a programme by running it under varying conditions and monitoring its behaviour and outputs.“We already have some tools through which we (AppLabs) are able to prototype and test iPhone devices. However, automated test harnessing at the Android level is still in its infant stage globally. Still in the development stage, our test harness is being built by incorporating an SDK (software development kit) and an API (application programming interface),” Raja Neravati, senior vice-president (global accounts), AppLabs, told Business Standard.

AppLabs’ new test harness would cut down on costs for its customers in terms of mobile testing. The harness would also make it easier to write games or applications and certify them, he said, adding the company was currently in discussions with various original equipment manufacturers to push the product.

“Android-based applications, devices and games are becoming increasingly popular and as the diversity increases, it opens the doors for testing services. The new test harness is primarily being targeted at the North American, European and the Indian markets, where it would be launched sometime in the next quarter. Once we see the output, we would file for a couple of patents for it,” Neravati said.

AppLabs, an authorised testing partner for companies developing games for Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo and Microsoft’s XBox, operates a centre of excellence for mobile testing in Hyderabad. Of its total staff of 3,500, about 600 are dedicated to mobile applications and game testing.

Neravati said with the increasing acceptance levels for iPads and smartphones, games were becoming more prominent. The expenditure on software testing in North America alone is pegged at $60 billion, of which Asia-Pacific, as an outsourcing services industry, accounts for $13 billion. The outsourcing services industry has been increasing at 25-30 per cent year-on-year. “Though game testing currently accounts for 8-12 per cent of this $60-billion industry, it would take more precedence with an uptick in smartphone sales. India would grab a 70 per cent share in this market in the next four to five years,” he said.

The company currently derives 8-10 per cent of its revenue from game testing, with mobile and information technology software testing contributing the rest. “We expect this to grow to 20 per cent in the next two to three years, primarily driven by the diversity of Android-based devices,” Neravati said.

A event worth attendening if you live in  asia that is the STEP AUTO Conference to be held in Gurgaon India on 9^th July, 2010. Featuring AppLabs, the world’s largest software testing and quality management company , Kalyana Rao Konda, Vice President for Technology Vertical and Process function at AppLabs, will be the plenary speaker there.

The presentation will provide insights into why TCoEs are becoming more viable as an alternative to maintaining internal Quality Assurance organizations and bring a factory like efficiency to organizations that have historically lacked testing maturity. The presentation also looks at how TCoEs play a pivotal role in lowering Quality Assurance and maintenance costs while enabling tighter alignment of IT with business objectives. The speaker will give audience a detailed description of the AppLabs’ TCoE, which is delivered using proprietary SCORE (Standardize Centralize Optimize Review Expand) methodology. In addition, the presentation will focus on quality analysis tools and techniques and help organizations achieve Return on Investment (ROI) and efficiency gains.

The STEP AUTO Conference is one of the most important information technology events for software testing professionals in India. The conference brings together software test professionals, testing gurus, academicians and service / product vendors to share their ideas and software testing related experiences.

Media contact details

Vijayalakshmi Kara,
AppLabs,
+91 (40) 23558000/ +91 9849083391,
Vijaya.lakshmi@applabs.com