One test can recruit across several device platforms at once. Device platforms are checkboxes in your recruiting settings, so you can tick iPhone and Android together, or every desktop platform, and BetaTesting recruits a mix that matches. You do not need to run a separate test per platform, and you do not need to ask anyone to set it up for you.
This is what you want when your product ships on both mobile platforms and you need feedback from both in the same round, when you want your results in one place rather than split across tests you have to compare by hand, or when you need a set number of participants on each platform rather than whatever mix turns up.
If you do not pick any platforms, you get a mix of testers across all of them.
How to select more than one platform
Open the test and go to Recruiting Settings from the Testers section of the left menu.
Under Do testers need a certain type of phone, tablet, or computer?, choose Yes, collect device info when testers apply.
Under Which devices can testers use for your test?, tick every platform you want. The options are iPhone, Android, iPad, Android Tablet, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Your choices save as you make them, and a Saved confirmation appears next to the heading.
How to set a quota for each platform
By default BetaTesting fills your total participant count with whatever mix of the selected platforms applies. If you need an exact split, set quotas.
With at least one platform ticked, look for Need an exact # of participants for each platform? below the list.
Click Show device quotas. A # of testers box appears next to each selected platform.
Type the number of participants you want on each one.
To go back to an open mix, click If not, click here to delete quotas in the same place.
What testers see
When someone applies, they are asked to select the device platform they will test with, and they pick one of the platforms you chose. If you set quotas, each option shows how many spots are still open on that platform, and an option disappears once it is full. Without quotas, each option simply shows as available.
After choosing a platform, testers go through device validation so you know they really have the device they claimed, before they reach your screening questions.
When you might still want separate tests
Multi-platform recruiting keeps everything in one test, so use it unless the platforms genuinely need different content. You could choose to run separate tests when each platform needs its own instructions or different tasks and surveys, because those are set once for the whole test (unless you define complex distribution settings using Tags).
If you do need a second test, duplicate the first rather than rebuilding it:
Go to Your Tests.
Select the test you want to copy. Duplicate works on one test at a time.
Click Duplicate and confirm. A new test is created with the same settings, and it opens so you can change the platform and the instructions.
Things to know
You can change platforms and quotas while a test is in draft. Once the test is published, the selection is locked, so plan the split before you launch. Other recruiting settings can still be adjusted, as covered in changing recruiting settings after launching your test.
Quotas apply to accepted participants on each platform. Make sure the numbers add up to the total you want, or you may fill one platform and stall on another.
If your community has not enabled device targeting, this section is replaced by a note that device targeting is not available, and testers are not filtered by the phone, tablet, or computer they own.
Selecting a mobile or tablet platform brings up an extra question about collecting tester email addresses, which some builds and distribution methods need.