How to Run Real Device Cloud Testing Without Buying Any Hardware

23/09/2025

In today’s fast-paced mobile app development landscape, real device cloud testing has become a necessity – not a luxury. It’s 2025, and users expect seamless performance across dozens of devices, screen sizes, OS versions, and geographic locations. But building an in-house device lab is both costly and difficult to scale.

That’s where real device cloud testing steps in: it lets developers and QA teams remotely test their apps on actual Android and iOS devices hosted in data centers – all without buying or managing a single phone.

Why Not Just Use Emulators or Simulators?

Emulators and simulators are great for the early stages of app development. They are fast, free, and easy to use. But they can’t replicate everything:

Feature	Emulators/Simulators	Real Devices
Camera functions	❌ Black screen	✅ Full camera test
GPS/location-based features	❌ Fake GPS only	✅ Real geo scenarios
Push notifications	❌ Not consistent	✅ Real OS handling
Network conditions (3G/4G/5G)	❌ Simulated	✅ Real throttling
Sensor behavior (accelerometer)	❌ Limited	✅ True device response

If you want to test the real user experience, you need to move beyond simulators. That’s where real device cloud testing becomes essential.

Step-by-Step: How to Run Real Device Cloud Testing

Step 1: Sign Up on a Cloud Testing Platform

Go to https://freemium.airmobi.vn and create an account. Platforms like Airmobi offer access to 80+ real mobile devices, including popular models in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Step 2: Choose Your Target Devices

Filter by OS: Android or iOS
Filter by brand: Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, etc.
Select older vs newer models (e.g., from 2015–2025)
Test on devices your customers actually use

Step 3: Upload Your App

Upload .apk for Android or .ipa for iOS
Optionally include test scripts (Appium, Espresso, XCUITest)

Step 4: Start Interactive or Automated Testing

For manual testing: control the device through your browser
For automated testing: run your scripts and get logs, screenshots, and videos

Step 5: Analyze Logs & Reports

Check crash logs
Validate UI issues (pixel shifts, overlaps)
Monitor performance (load times, CPU/memory usage)

Pros & Cons of Real Device Cloud Testing Platforms

Platform	Strengths	Limitations
Airmobi	Localized devices in Southeast Asia, great UI, freemium plan	Still expanding iOS support
BrowserStack	Huge global device pool, strong automation	Higher cost for small teams
Sauce Labs	Enterprise-ready, CI/CD friendly	Complex UI for new users
Firebase Test Lab	Native Android integration	No iOS support

If your users are in Vietnam, Indonesia, or Thailand, choose platforms like Airmobi that prioritize local device coverage.

Final Checklist Before You Ship Your App

Before pushing your app to App Store or Google Play, make sure you’ve tested:

Login flows on Android 8 to 13
Dark mode and screen rotation handling
Push notifications on different Android skins (MIUI, ColorOS)
Battery consumption on low-end devices
Camera/GPS usage (if applicable)
Network latency simulation (3G, 4G)
Localization in Vietnamese and English
Accessibility (screen readers, large fonts)

See full: How to Migrate Your QA Process to Cloud Testing Without Downtime

Why Real Device Cloud Testing Is the Future?

As the mobile ecosystem grows more fragmented, real device cloud testing helps you:

Reduce post-launch bugs by 30 – 40%
Speed up feedback loops with remote teams
Cut costs compared to in-house device labs
Increase confidence before every release

Instead of guessing, you test exactly what your users experience.

Conclusion: Real Device Cloud Testing = Better Apps, Happier Users

Don’t let device fragmentation slow you down. Whether you’re a solo developer or part of a QA team, real device cloud testing offers the speed, coverage, and flexibility you need in 2025.

Start for free with Airmobi today: https://freemium.airmobi.vn