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The beta phase of software development is a crucial component of the entire software development process. In a world filled with the latest and greatest technology, users have become accustomed to high-quality products. They know when a developer hasn’t delivered. If customers don’t have a good user experience with an app, they’ll move on to the next option without looking back. Let’s look at what beta testing is and why developer apps value their beta testers.
What Is Beta Testing
The beta-testing phase is the phase in an app’s lifecycle between the first iteration or alpha phase and the final release of the finished product. The developer believes that the app is complete but needs to release it to get feedback from test users. This feedback is vital to identify bugs and get crucial information on end-user experience before releasing the final app.
Why Is Beta Testing Useful?
The beta release and testing help the developer identify quality, stability, reliability, performance, and security problems. Once these problems are identified, the developer can fix them before finally releasing the app to the public, preventing paying customers from experiencing the issues.
Mobile App stores have strict controls on app submissions, and the process can take a long time. Beta testing makes sure that the app is ready to fly through the submission process without delaying the process with minor tweaks and changes.
Let’s take a look at all of the reasons why developers value beta releases.
Quality
One of the primary reasons for beta releases and testing is to allow developers the chance to assess the overall user experience from an unbiased perspective. Practical testing ensures that all the features are performing to a high standard and are working as intended. There is a delicate balance between functionality and quality; if developers try to cram in too much functionality, the app’s quality and, ultimately, the user experience will suffer.
Bug Detection
If we’re honest, we’ve all experienced the problem of bugs in an app here and there. There’s nothing more frustrating. You’re playing a new online game or casino app and click a link to go where the newest free spins promotions are waiting for you and end up in the FAQ section, or you try to load a slots page and keep being redirected to roulette. Hence, you give up and most likely will never return to the same app again.
This area is where beta testing shines. By releasing a beta version, developers can identify and repair any anomalies in the app’s behavior before it ever hits the general public.
Performance
When developers test their app, they do it in a controlled environment with top-quality equipment and high-speed connections. The reality is that this doesn’t give them a clear idea of how the app will function in a real-world environment on the average user’s device. Beta releases allow developers to analyze how the app’s speed is affected by external factors like available memory and connection speed.
Free Advertising
One of the best advantages of a beta release is the word of mouth advertising that comes with having real-world users. Should a tester really enjoy the beta version, they are highly likely to recommend the final paid product to their friends and colleagues. This type of advertising is invaluable because it is generally trusted by the people receiving it, and they are more open to receiving referrals from a friend.
Verification Of The Concept
Not all app ideas are feasible or valuable. Many features shouldn’t make it through to the app’s final version, but being impartial about it can be challenging for a developer when they’ve created it! A beta release can assist with determining which features are likely to be great additions to the final release and which should fall by the wayside.
Usability
The overall quality of an app hasn’t got much to do with the usability factor. A developer can release a top-quality app that tanks with the public on release. Much like popularity, how a user feels about an app’s usability is a very personal opinion based on likes and preferences. Beta testing gives the most reliable and thorough picture of whether an app will be accepted and enjoyed by the majority of users.
Final Thoughts
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, coming up with new and original app ideas is a feat in itself. Ensuring that those apps work properly, are high quality, and are likely to be popular is a big gamble when considering the time and money needed to be invested. With so much expended time, money, and energy at stake, beta releases are valuable to developers to help mitigate the risks posed by app problems in the final release phase.