Over 50% of Asia-Pacific’s Leading Organizations See Mobile Technology Investment As Key to Improving Business Performance

Zebra Technologies Corporation announced the results of its latest Asia-Pacific vision study on the Future of Field Operations, which reveals mobile technology investment to be a growing priority for up to 60 percent of Asia-Pacific organizations. The findings indicate that investments will be made in disruptive technologies and enterprise mobile devices to enhance front-line worker productivity and customer satisfaction in field operations including fleet management, field services, proof of delivery and direct store delivery workflows.

"Driven by the acceleration of e-commerce along with customer's heightened expectations and more focus within companies on differentiating service levels, the field operations industry is rapidly adapting the way it looks at its mobile technology investments," said Tan AikJin, APAC Vertical Solutions Lead, Manufacturing and Transportation & Logistics, Zebra Technologies. "Our study shows how growing challenges related to the on-demand economy drive organizations to adopt transformative, disruptive technologies such as augmented reality and intelligent labels to provide visibility and integrate business intelligence for a performance edge."

"Based on our study, the top three trends that are driving changes for field operations across Asia-Pacific including India, are; growing expectations of performance and convenience from end customers, the replacement of paper in the field by mobile technology, and the disruptions to field operations caused by emerging technologies and faster networks," said Deep Agarwal, Regional Sales Director of India, Zebra Technologies. "In Asia Pacific including India more than half of the organizations have a mobile-first mindset when it comes to adopting enterprise-wide mobile and emerging technologies. And these forward-thinking organizations are setting their field operations apart with three key strategies; the scaling of mobile technology and support technologies enterprise-wide, evaluating the total cost of ownership of mobile technology as a standard practice, and utilizing emerging field operations technologies more extensively to achieve a competitive edge."

KEY SURVEY FINDINGS

Equipping front-line workers with enterprise mobile devices remains a priority to stay competitive.

• In Asia-Pacific, up to 44 percent of the organizations view mobility investment as a top priority.

• 58 percent of Asia-Pacific organizations are expanding mobile technology to enterprise-wide use – reaching 97 percent by 2023.
• From 2018 to 2023, the use of handheld mobile computers with built-in barcode scanners in Asia-Pacific is forecasted to grow by 41 percent, mobile printers by 60 percent and rugged tablets by 57 percent. The higher levels of inventory, shipment and asset accuracy provided by using these devices is expected to increase business revenues.

Tertiary concerns and post-sale factors are important for organizations when evaluating front-line worker enterprise mobile devices.

• Mobile-first organizations in Asia-Pacific are conducting total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis prior to a major capital expenditure on mobile technology up to 83 percent of the time.
• Only 34 percent of the survey respondents believe that consumer smartphones have better TCO than rugged devices.

Emerging technologies and faster networks are disrupting field operations.

• Mobile-first organizations in Asia-Pacific tend to be early adopters of emerging efficiency-boosting field operations technologies.
• Mobile-first organizations in Asia-Pacific are expected to:
  • Implement the use of sensors, radio frequency identification (RFID) and intelligent labels from 76 percent to 98 percent from end 2018 till 2023.
  • Make greater use of augmented reality applications from 68 percent to 95 percent from end 2018 till 2023, which can make detail-oriented workflows such as merchandising much more efficient.
  • Have greater use of blockchain from 68 percent to 96 percent from end 2018 till 2023 to track goods' chains of custody or document service by multiple partnering firms.

Corresponding to the developments in the field operations industry, Zebra has launched a new range of enterprise-class mobile touch computing solutions, industrial tablets and high-quality mobile printer for efficient and effective field operations. The TC57 Touch Computers provide a new platform and capabilities to deliver the ultimate in enterprise-class touch computing. The TC77 series touch computer provides maximum simplicity, construction designed to withstand years of the toughest everyday use and abuse. The new Zebra L10 and R12 Xplore rugged tablets offer a reliable way to capture, extract, and analyze data, especially when on the move. The new ZQ120 mobile printer, meanwhile, offers a value-for-money proposition that has the winning formula comprising; affordability, quality, versatility, durability, 'wearability' and ease-of-use.

KEY FACTS – TC57 Mobile Computer

• Comes with a greater Wi-Fi performance and coverage with Worry-Free Wi-Fi integration and 2×2 MU-MIMO
• Fast charging battery (90 percent in 2 hours), 14-hour run time and easy onehanded removal
• Has a sensor suite and front facing camera for accurate indoor locationing applications
• Comes Equipped with PowerPrecision Console to easily identify and remove aging batteries from your mobile devices and battery pool
• Provides an end-to-end control over the update process with LifeGuard Analytics

KEY FACTS – TC77 Mobile Computer

• Comes equipped with an Enterprise-class imager with ambidextrous scan buttons enables lightning-fast capture of 1D and 2D barcodes, including Digimarc
• Has a built to handle use and abuse inside and outside the four walls — multiple 8 ft./2.4 m drops to concrete and 2,000 3.2 ft./1.0 m tumbles
• Maximum scratch-resistance and shatter-proofing for the display and camera 'eye' with Corning Gorilla Glass
• Is built on one of today's most powerful processors for superior performance
• StageNow's new Restricted Mode for control over access to Google Mobile Services (GMS)

KEY FACTS –  L10 Xplore Tablet

• Comes with three different 8th Generation Intel Core™-Series processors and an Intel Pentium®-series processor. Add a PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) for an extra speed boost
• The L10 combines latest-generation Bluetooth® 4.2, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, UBLOX GPS, optional NFC and 4G LTE mobile broadband technologies to provide uninterrupted connectivity with colleagues, customers, and business systems as mobile workers transition between networks
• Each L10 rugged tablet can be equipped with workflow-specific tools needed for nearly any application including an optional True Serial or HDMI-In port, UHF RFID reader (AEI), and built-in barcode reader

KEY FACTS – R12 Xplore Tablet

• The XSLATE R12 is both MIL-STD-810G and IP54 rated and proven to perform without issue under pressure in extreme operating environments.
• The large 12.5" 1000 Nit full high-definition (1920×1080) display with Anti-Smudge and Anti-Reflective View Anywhere® Technology offers superior visibility even in harsh conditions to provide detailed documents and clearly view images day or night
• With an integrated Intel™ Core™-Series Processors, the tablet offers faster wake times and application processing while with the Intel® PCIe Solid State Drives (SSD), it can deliver an over 2X improvement in disk performance and a 48% improvement in overall system performance from previous generation devices

KEY FACTS – ZQ120 Mobile Printer  

• The mobile printer comes with support for multiple media widths giving a flexibility to choose the right media width for the application.
• Supports the largest media rolls in its category giving freedom to print more receipts and labels per roll while carrying only fewer media rolls
• Supports Bluetooth 4.1 Classic and Low Energy (BLE) for a smooth and fastest communication with the host mobile device
• Built for all-day every-day business durability. Users can expect reliable operation, even if the printer is dropped on concrete or used in dusty areas – IP43 sealing (IP54 with case); 1.5 m/5 ft. drop spec.
• Offers the convenience of USB charging. Users can easily charge the printer with their mobile phone USB charger or with the optional in-vehicle cigarette lighter adapter.