As we wrap up another year, we thought it would be fun and informative to take a look back at the mobile devices, operating system updates and trends that hit the market this year.
Let’s start with this bird’s-eye view graphic of the important releases that made 2015 such an innovative year in mobile.
There were more than 30 significant smartphones and tablets released this year. Many of these devices such as the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6, the Galaxy Note 5 and the LG Nexus 5X quickly became popular on a global scale. When putting together our quarterly Digital Test Coverage Index we noticed that these newly-minted devices ranked high up in the indexes in both the U.S. and Europe.
But a device is nothing if it’s not running on an updated operating system — and this year brought 15 OS releases (major and minor), from Apple iOS 8.2 to 9.2, and Android 5.1.1 to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Microsoft released what it hopes will be a mobile game-changer, Windows 10. All of these OS releases will have an impact on the already fragmented mobile space, keeping DevTest teams busy with more re-testing.
This year we also saw disruptive technologies take center stage, such as Apple Force Touch, Touch ID authentication, Mobile Payments, Voice commands and contextual awareness apps based on location.
Looking ahead, it’s clear that 2016 is going to be just as hectic, fragmented, and EXCITING. In the coming year, enterprises can expect mobile and web user engagement to be key business drivers, forcing many organizations to do rigorous testing of new app features on mobile devices, OSes and web browsers to deliver a memorable user experience to customers.
As a sneak in preview in our latest Digital Test Coverage Index, we’ve added a 2016 calendar and we already see new trends emerging such as increasing tablet screen sizes that aim to replace today’s laptops (i.e. the Samsung Galaxy View tablet with its unique screen size of 18.4”, and Apple’s iPad Pro with its 12.9” screen size).
For more details on important mobile and web test coverage trends, download the Digital Test Coverage Index.
Happy holidays to all. Here’s to successful digital test coverage in 2016!
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