Coppernic teams up with HMD to create the ultimate access control smartphone

System integrator company Coppernic has teamed up with smartphone manufacturer HMD, the brand behind the legendary Nokia phone, to release a new mobile device that can be equipped with access control functionality.

HMD’s Fusion smartphone series s the Finnish company’s attempt at modular design. The smartphone can be equipped with various customization toolkits, including better cameras, wireless charging, or more rugged casing.

Its Fusion Business Edition smartphones bring this concept to the next level. The smartphone can be upgraded with a toolkit that reads different ID card protocols with an integrated contactless reader. The add-on, named Access Control Outfit, was created by Coppernic which provides mobile solutions for biometric identity and access control.

Coppernic says that adding mobility to physical access control systems means existing systems can be extended almost anywhere using handheld devices.

“These specialized devices can tap and read most available badges and ID cards used for access control, but they can also read barcodes and enter information and this leads to a number of new applications and opportunities thanks to mobility,” the company explains in its promotional materials.

Among other additions to HMD’s smartphone are a tap-to-pay terminal and a high-performance barcode scanner, also created by Coppernic.

While the commercial version of Fusion smartphones has already been released, the Fusion Business Edition phones are expected to be launched later this year, according to HMD. The main idea behind the phones is to avoid juggling multiple devices from different suppliers and simply switch between different toolkits, named Smart Outfits.

“Our business customers matter to us, and we work closely with them to ensure our devices meet their needs,” says James Robinson, HMD’s senior vice president for enterprise at HMD. “The HMD Fusion Business Edition is an agile device that can be adapted at a moment’s notice to suit various workplace roles.”

Coppernic has previously partnered with Integrated Biometrics to create an ultra-thin, rugged and handheld fingerprint scanner.

Article Topics

access control  |  biometrics  |  Coppernic  |  HMD  |  mobile device  |  smartphones