What are visual anomalies in the context of visual testing?

Visual anomalies in visual testing refer to discrepancies found during the comparison of different versions of an application or webpage that indicate potential problems or errors in the design or functionality. When conducting visual testing, the goal is to ensure that the visual presentation and layout of the application appear as intended. If any differences or anomalies are identified, they could suggest bugs, layout shifts, or other performance issues that need to be addressed. Thus, identifying these discrepancies is essential for maintaining the quality and consistency of user interfaces.

The other options describe scenarios that do not align with the typical understanding of visual anomalies. Expected differences between versions would not be anomalies but rather anticipated changes in design or functionality. Normal variations in design layouts can be part of the design process and aren't considered anomalies if they reflect intended differences. Fluctuations in application response time pertain to performance issues rather than visual discrepancies. Therefore, identifying detected discrepancies that indicate potential issues is accurate and aligns closely with the focus of visual testing.