The rise of the smartphone in business – Revolutionising professional mobility.

From nice to have to essential tool.

The emergence of the smartphone.   

First appearing in the business world to enable users to remain reachable, the smartphone became the standard device for working remotely during the 2019 pandemic before all employees were able to be provided with a laptop. We are using the smartphone in new ways and realising we can break away from the physical constraints of the workplace if we just have the right devices and the right tools (collaboration solutions). Employees can now stay connected and productive anywhere, and there are no signs of things changing any time soon.

The smartphone has also earned itself a place in the digital market thanks to its ease of use stemming from its compact size and capacity to store a growing amount of data. According to Baptiste, this trend is only continuing to grow: “the smartphone has become crucial to companies’ mobility strategies, having introduced hybrid working approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The smartphone – A productive and versatile tool.

The boost in productivity smartphones offer can be directly traced back to its hardware, Baptiste emphasises: “great native performance and powerful connectivity reinforced by more widespread 5G coverage in Europe (article: the European Commission has set the objective of providing all populated zones with 5G by 2023.) are all factors that make the smartphone an excellent device for productivity”.

Moreover, instant messaging, video calls, and document sharing apps have revolutionised the way teams collaborate. We no longer need to be physically present in a meeting room to actively collaborate on a project. Smartphones make it possible to make decisions in real time, share ideas and coordinate actions—all remotely.

They also consolidate a raft of functions formerly performed by separate devices—video meetings, payment, GPS, signatures, scanning, multi-tasking, taking photos and more—further bolstering their status and rise.  And to the question of whether smartphones can replace PCs, Baptiste’s answer is “yes, if the environment is conducive and they are used for certain jobs, it’s very conceivable. ”

Security and data protection.

A digital environment that calls for strengthened security.

As smartphones flourish in a professional environment, we need to reflect on their impact on security. They require reinforced security and a serious approach to data protection for two reasons—mobile devices hold sensitive information and enjoy augmented connectivity with 4G and 5G, both points that cause concern in terms of data management. It’s also essential to remember the potential vulnerabilities in applications as well as the rise of remote working that can impact these security principles.

The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposes strict standards in terms of data confidentiality, giving users control over their personal information. Against this backdrop, security programs such as Samsung Knox [Read our article on Knox] play an essential role. Baptiste tells us that “at Samsung, we offer Knox, and among other options, we have a solution called Knox Vault, which is co-processor hardware directly built into our phones that encrypts sensitive data such as passwords, biometric data, debit card numbers, and more.”

Separating the personal from the professional.

In France, employment laws ensure employees’ private lives are respected. Using smartphones for professional use can sometimes compromise this right, as employees can find themselves using their work phones for personal tasks or vice versa. Samsung has developed a solution by building in a system to manage these two worlds. It gives employees the option to choose between two interfaces on a single phone—one for their professional life and one for their personal, allowing them to keep these areas separate and thus respecting their right to a private life.

SAR Galaxy Z Fold5: head = 1.244 W/kg; torso = 1.193 W/Kg; limbs = 3.12 W/Kg.

SAR Galaxy Z Flip5: head = 0.601 W/kg; torso = 1.451 W/Kg; limbs = 2.34 W/Kg.