AWS Device Farm

AWS Device Farm is an Amazon Web Services (AWS) mobile app testing service for Android or Fire OS-based devices.

The Device Farm allows application developers to test mobile apps on specific devices while simulating real-world conditions and simultaneous usage. Developers upload their apps to the AWS environment, configure the tests, select the Android device and get results within minutes of completing the tests. The Device Farm can be used to test newly-developed apps, check for known issues or try to replicate user-reported errors. Those capabilities allow developers to better understand issues and improve their apps.

Because the Device Farm runs apps on actual devices, it can simulate real world conditions better than a device emulator can. The Farm factors in normal memory and CPU usage. The physical devices can add other test conditions, such as differing OS versions, settings and firmware modifications that might be made to the mobile device. This makes the Device Farm much more accurate than testing for errors using emulators which are often free but lacking in complexity.

As of this writing, Amazon charges a per-minute fee on a given device and unlimited testing for a flat monthly fee of $250 per device. Amazon offers the first 250 device minutes free, allowing developers to get a feel for testing with the Farm.