Zebra announced a new category of individually assigned mobile computers, the EC5x series that is designed to keep workers connected and informed while improving individual productivity, collaboration and the customer experience across multiple industries.
Featuring the look and feel of a consumer smartphone with the Android 10 operating system (OS), an optional integrated scanner and a robust software suite specifically designed for front-line workers, the durable EC5x series is Zebra’s thinnest, lightest mobile computer.
The EC5x series is designed to be a company-owned, personally assigned device that is carried at all times, keeping workers connected no matter where they are and helping improve business agility and responsiveness to real-time changing conditions. The new device can be used in the retail, hospitality, field sales, courier, government and ancillary healthcare markets to optimize a wide range of front-line workflows including assisted selling, mobile point of sale (MPOS), inventory and task management, concierge service, direct store delivery (DSD), patient transport, staff collaboration and housekeeping.
The versatile EC5x series can easily fit in a pocket or used as a wearable accessory and leverage Workforce Connect to empower better collaboration with enterprise text messaging along with PBX and PTT handset functionality. It is also RFID-ready and has an optional snap-on trigger handle to provide added comfort for scan-intensive tasks. Virtually waterproof, drop-proof and dust-proof, the durable device can transform into a full workstation by simply docking it into a workstation cradle accessory connected to a monitor and keyboard.
“Zebra’s new EC5x series expands the industry’s broadest portfolio of Android-based, enterprise-class mobile computers with our first individually assigned smartphone-like device designed to help businesses significantly improve productivity and collaboration while delivering unmatched total benefits of ownership,” said Joe White, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Enterprise Mobile Computing, Zebra Technologies. “Multi-year deployment and support eliminates the cost and complexities of managing different models. With a long lifecycle, innovative productivity tools and security support for the Android OS, the EC5x series’ total cost of ownership (TCO) is approximately half of a consumer smartphone without sacrificing any of the familiarity or design features that front-line workers now expect.”
Featuring a large five-inch HD screen, the reliable EC5x series gives workers the same familiar look and feel of a consumer smartphone while adding enterprise-grade scanning, enhanced Wi-Fi capabilities and Zebra’s Mobility DNA suite of security features, development tools, and mobile end-user applications to optimize workflows at the edge of business. The EC5x can scan almost any barcode in any condition and its 13-megapixel color rear camera can capture highly detailed photos to document proof of delivery or compliance. In addition, the EC5x’s standard battery can power more than a full shift.
The EC5x series also supports Device Tracker, an enhanced Mobility DNA solution, that allows companies to track and find a misplaced device even when it is turned off. As the devices used by front-line workers evolve to become sleeker and more consumer-like, and as staff increasingly depend on the availability of mobile devices to complete their work, limiting the theft of these devices is critical to business success. Zebra’s cloud-based Device Tracker solution continuously monitors device presence along with tracking and connection status while leveraging existing Wi-Fi network infrastructure, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and audio to aid in locating devices.
Unlike the constant churn of consumer smartphones whose lifecycles average 18 months, the EC5x series will be available for sale for four years, ensuring the same device can be deployed well into the future as businesses grow and technology needs expand. The EC5x also offers four years post-end-of-sale support, ensuring technical support for a total of eight years from first commercial availability.
LifeGuard for Android, the industry’s first security lifecycle offering for enterprise-class mobile computers, is also available – providing security updates for up to eight years on the EC5x.
With Zebra’s innovative platform-based approach, businesses have access to the industry’s broadest portfolio of enterprise-class mobile computers running Android 10. As a result, Zebra customers can leverage applications from leading independent software vendors (ISVs) across their fleet of mixed purpose-built devices, including the new EC5x series, with minimal complexity while enjoying robust security protection for years to come.
