Part 13 : Real Devices vs Virtual Devices
When we build an Android app, we must test it to see if it works properly. For testing, we can use two types of devices :
- Virtual devices (Emulator)
- Real physical Android phones
Both are useful, usually we use both.
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Setting Up the Android Emulator (Virtual Device)
An Android Emulator is a virtual phone that runs on your computer. It behaves like a real Android device.
How to set it up :
- Open Android Studio
- Go to Device Manager
- Click on Create Device
- Choose a phone model (for example, Pixel)
- Select an Android version (system image)
- Download it if needed
- Click Finish and start the emulator
Why we use the emulator :
No need for a real phone
Easy to test different Android versions
Good for learning and early development
Problems with emulator :
Can be slow on some computers
Hardware features like camera or sensors are not fully real
Connecting a Real Android Phone Using USB
Testing on a real phone helps you see how your app works in real life.
Steps to connect your phone:
Open Settings on your phone
Go to About Phone
Tap Build Number 7 times to enable Developer Options
Go back to Settings → Developer Options
Turn on USB Debugging
Connect the phone to your computer using a USB cable
Allow the permission message on your phone
Now your phone will appear in Android Studio and you can run your app on it.
Why real devices are important :
Shows real performance and speed
Tests real hardware like camera, GPS, and sensors
Helps find real-world problems
Tips for Testing on Physical Devices
When testing your app on a real phone, always:
Rotate the phone (portrait and landscape)
Test touch actions and buttons
Check performance (slow or smooth)
Test with low battery
Lock and unlock the phone during testing
Make sure the app doesn’t crash
Common Device Setup Errors (and Simple Fixes)
Phone not showing in Android Studio
- Check if USB debugging is ON
- Use a proper USB data cable
- Try another USB port
Authorization problem
Reconnect the phone
Accept the permission popup on the phone
Turn USB debugging OFF and ON again
Emulator running slowly
Enable virtualization in BIOS
Increase RAM for emulator
Close other heavy apps
App installs but doesn’t open
Check errors in Logcat
Make sure correct device is selected
Check minimum Android version
Emulator vs Real Device (Simple Comparison)
Feature
Emulator
Real Device
Easy to use
Yes
Medium
Speed accuracy
Medium
High
Hardware testing
Limited
Full
Best for
Practice & learning
Final testing
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Mastering Appium: A Complete Beginner-to-Expert Mobile Automation Guide
Part 1 : Introduction to Mobile Automation and Appium
Part 2 : Appium Architecture, Tools Setup & How Test Code Connects to Devices
Part 3 : Java Fundamentals for Test Automation
Part 4 : Next Steps: Level Up Before Real Appium Scripting
Part 5 : Setting Up the Environment (Windows & macOS)
Part 6 : Understanding UiAutomator2 (Android Engine)
Part 7 : First Appium Test Script (Android)
Part 8 : Handling Waits and Synchronization in Appium (Android)
Part 9 : Element Locator Strategies in Android (ID, XPath, etc.)
Part 10 : TestNG Integration for Test Execution
Part 10.1 : Advanced TestNG Features in Appium Framework
Part 11 : Page Object Model (POM) Design in Appium (Android)
Part 12 : Logging with Log4j & Reporting with Extent Reports (Appium - Android)
Part 13 : Real Devices vs Virtual Devices
Hardware/PCB design & addon services
