FAQ

Frequently asked questions about iOS and Android mobile app testing.

Are the mobile virtual machines simulators or emulators?

• The iOS VM is a simulator.
• The Android VM is the official Google Android Emulator, which runs on a computer instead of a phone. This means Android testing closely reflects the behavior on a physical device.

Which mobile platforms are available?

See Supported Web Browsers and Mobile Device Specs.

How can I set up my mobile app for testing?

See Configuring Mobile Apps for Testing.

Can I test uploading photos?

Yes, as long as you provide a link for the testers to download the images to the device. Also, there is a set of stock images ready for use on the VMs.

Can I test videos on mobile devices? For example, when the video loads, can I watch it?

Yes. You can play in-app videos on our mobile VMs.

Can I test making a phone call?

No. Our mobile VMs are not equipped with VoIP functionality.

Can I test using the camera?

Currently, we support cameras for Android emulators but not iOS. Our mobile VMs come preloaded with a set of photos in the image gallery.

Can I configure the geolocation settings for the mobile VMs?

Yes. You can set the geolocation the traffic routes through. For more information, see Which IP Addresses Do Rainforest Tests Come From?.

Note: As an alternative, you can instruct the testers to configure the GPS settings of the VM they’re using for region testing.

How do I indicate longitude and latitude coordinates for Location Services?

See How to Use Location Services.

Can I test receiving text (SMS) messages in the VM’s virtual device inbox?

No. Neither the iOS nor Android VMs has a mobile number assigned to them. However, Rainforest offers customers dedicated SMS numbers that testers can use. These numbers are for tests that require receiving messages at a specific phone number and are preconfigured in the database. An example is two-factor authentication (2FA).

Can I test degraded data coverage?

No. Currently, we don’t support testing degraded data coverage.

---

If you have any questions, reach out to us at [email protected].