Testing of push notifications

What is a push notification?

Push notifications are pop-up windows with information on the screen of a mobile device sent only to users who have agreed on receiving notifications. The purpose of «Notification» is to provide information. The use of push notifications in a mobile device implies that the technology does not require opening applications on the mobile device to receive a message. It allows a mobile device to receive and display text messages even when the device screen is locked and the application sending the notification is closed. Notifications most often appear from a sliding notification panel at the top of the screen, as well as on the lock screen.

The concept of push notifications has reached its peak of popularity after Apple launched the Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) for sending notifications to mobile devices running iOS 3. Later Apple implemented push notifications for OS X and Safari browser.

3 main push notification services on mobile devices:

1. Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) – originally added only for iPhones, later for OS X and Safari browser.
2. Android Cloud to Device Messaging (C2DM) was launched in 2008 and in 2012 it was replaced by a new service Google Cloud Messaging (GCM). This service can also be used to send messages to Chrome-based applications.
3. Microsoft Push Notification Service (MPNS) is a service from Microsoft. Push notifications have been available since the seventh version of Windows Phone.

In iOS there are 3 types of notifications:

1. Audio – a sound signal is played after receiving the notification.
2. Audio/Banners – a banner with a sound signal is displayed. In order to view the message, you need to lower the notification panel.
3. Badges – a number or unique character is displayed next to the program icon.

Windows Phone 8 similarly has three types of notifications:

1. Toast – information is displayed for 10 seconds at the top of the screen. The message is also clickable.
2. Tile – it is shown in the form of numbers on the program icon on the Live Tile screen.
3. Raw – allows you to send information in any form in the application. It is mostly used by gaming applications.

Android OS is the most liberal OS in terms of notifications. It has no standard system for displaying notifications to the user on the screen. All information goes directly to the application in any form. And after receiving the information, a standard message or a banner (as in iOS) is displayed on the screen.

However, since Android OS is an open and flexible system, push notifications can be displayed on the device in any form.

The main scenario for testing push notifications in a mobile device is to check whether the message is sent and received on the desired device.

There are also other typical test scenarios:

1. Check that the notification is received when the program is not running.
2. Check that the notification is received when the application is running.
3. Ensure that the notification is received when the application is launched and minimized.
4. Ensure that the notification is received during the app launch.
5. Check that the notification is received during the game.
6. Ensure that the notification is received if another application is active.
7. Ensure that the notification is received in different time zones.
8. If the notification is clickable, check that the correct window opens after clicking.
9. Check the sound, vibration and blinking when you receive a notification.
10. Check the application entry point. For example, when a user opens an IM (WhatsApp, Skype, etc.) notification, a chat with the user is opened and the latest notifications are displayed, instead of the initial ones in the control window (user list).
11. Check whether there is no repeated notification using different triggers.
12. Check if the notification is displayed directly in the open application.
13. Test the launch of the application running in the background after tapping the notification and unlocking the device.
14. Test the display of a banner after receiving a notification with the unlocked screen.
15. Check the launch of the program after tapping on the notification banner.
16. Check the display of a message in the notification panel if the user does not tap on the banner in the notification.
17. Test the launch of the program after clicking on the message in the notification panel.
18. Check the number of notifications on the application icon after tapping on the banner.
19. Check the number of unread notifications on the application icon, after tapping and reading the message.
20. Ensure that the notification title is correct.
21. Check the notification language.
22. Ensure that the notification disappears from the notification panel after the user opens it.

Push notification is a helpful tool used in many systems. The notification types should take into account the interests of users and it is advisable not to limit users in choosing which type they want to receive. 

Notifications are used on different platforms and are user-friendly, as they allow you not to miss important messages, news, and updates. Users receive the necessary information in a convenient form, they can quickly view new messages and respond to them without opening the application itself.