Custom Walmart Phones Act as Barcode Scanners, Time Clocks: Samsung

Samsung called its deal with Walmart to equip 740,000 store employees with Galaxy XCover Pro smartphones (see 2106030028) its largest enterprise deal ever in the U.S. The deal took a year of planning and piloting, Samsung blogged Friday, saying Walmart approached the phone maker in spring 2020 about the “Connected Associate initiative.” After learning about the in-house app designed to improve worker productivity, Samsung’s team shadowed Walmart employees to learn how they work and what tools could help them work better, it said. Insights showed the need for an “agile mobile device” with Walmart’s integrated custom app to improve employee engagement and customer care. It described the phone as having an immersive display, “powerful camera” and long-lasting battery in a lightweight, durable design. On-the-job functions include mobile clock-in, access to scheduling and inventory management via the camera, which doubles as a barcode scanner. Workers can tap a co-worker's name and initiate a push-to-talk conversation from the phone using a physical side key, Samsung said. In the past, workers had to use different devices, including dedicated barcode scanners and walkie-talkies. Samsung’s Knox platform secures the phone from the chip level up and has automated enrollment, firmware management, device and Wi-Fi network analytics, loss prevention and deep device customization, Samsung said. The phone is designed for Walmart employees to use in and outside of work. Knox security software creates completely separate work and personal profiles, allowing work applications to stay secure, and personal usage to stay private, said the company.