Real world data offered by DeviceAnywhere Metrics

Rating: Shows what 10K developers are up to in USA

A interesting snapshot into the requirements of mobile app developers working in the US market is being provided for free by testing specialist, DeviceAnywhere. The company fully admits that the data is not perfect but conversely,  it does show where there is significant demand from developers. The two areas where the data is weak cover location based testing and the Apple iPhone.

The report (which from now on will be issued on a monthly basis) is called DeviceAnywhere Metrics and covers handsets being tested on the Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks.

Significantly the report says that, “The data reported here under-represents the popularity of iPhone or Android handsets, as the developer community for these platforms includes many individuals or smaller companies that may be more likely to test on their own consumer devices.”

Nevertheless, DeviceAnywhere ‘s CEO, Faraz Syed, commented, “If [device] fragmentation continues – including more iterations such as the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and the iPad on multiple networks – then we expect to see increased iPhone testing activity show up correspondingly in the data.”

Just because many developers are using their own Android handsets, this doesn’t mean there’s no demand from the 10,000 or so professional developers who pay to use the DeviceAnywhere service.

For example,  the Android-based T-Mobile G1 has risen to become the most-tested device within the T-Mobile Virtual Developer Lab and from a standing start in 2009, Android has become DeviceAnywhere’s fourth most tested smartphone OS in the US.

The report also admits that location-based application test cases which require the movement of handsets to simulate the real world cannot be performed using DeviceAnywhere handsets which are stuck in static locations. So LBS testing is out.

The report also shows that RIM is still the most popular OS with DeviceAnywhere developers and that activity on testing Windows Mobile, although Number Two,  is declining.

The second, third and fourth most popular devices for testing on the DeviceAnywhere Test Centre are handsets made by Samsung, Motorola and LG respectively – even though none of them have US application storefronts.

The full report can be viewed on the DeviceAnywhere web site or by clicking on this URL … http://www.deviceanywhere.com/trends/DeviceAnywhere_Metrics_January_2010.pdf