Trends Driving Mobile Credentials

Key Trends Driving Mobile Credentials for Access Control and More

The evidence of mobile credential use in everyday life is virtually undeniable; it’s all around us. In the US, 75% of iPhone users have at least one card loaded into their Apple wallet. Even with the prevalence of mobile wallets, it’s feasible to guess someone’s age — or at least their generation — by the form of payment they use at a cash register or self-checkout kiosk. Older shoppers are likely still dipping their credit or debit card into the reader; those who are more tech-savvy may tap to pay. If a shopper takes out their phone and waves it at the point-of-sale, they are more likely fall into the category of Gen Z or Millennial.

Statistics support this observation. A recent study from PYMNTS.com points out that 78% of Gen Z consumers use their digital wallets “avidly,” while 67% of millennials do the same. Meanwhile, 62% of the generation deemed Xennials, or “late millennials,” use a digital wallet, 44% of GenX and 28% of Baby Boomers or older rely on the technology. These younger generations are similarly driving the adoption of mobile credentials in office buildings, healthcare facilities and other commercial real estate projects.

“One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is that this new generation of users, as younger people get more involved in the corporate world, they are all used to an app-based world,” says Sanjhit Bardhan, vice president and global head of mobile for HID Global, a manufacturer of access control systems for enterprise use. “They grew up with technology and they’ve got expectations that anything they do has some level of technology attached. Plastic cards no longer really fulfill that objective.” Phil Coppola, HID Global’s director — end user business development, mobile, adds, “If you think about the world we live in now, everything is tap-to-pay.”

Nathan Vaughn, senior technical sales specialist with ADI, notes that he’s seeing mobile credentials replace plastic cards or key fobs for access control and other applications in higher-end facilities, particularly corporate enterprises. “It’s probably being used more in higher-end industries at this point in time, where people want the access experience to be a little fancier or allow employees to carry fewer keys,” he says.

Access control through mobile credentials gives users entry into buildings and can also unlock a host of other features. It all happens with a wave, tap or twist of your mobile device, whether that’s a smartwatch, tablet or phone. A more seamless user experience, Coppola agrees, is at the heart of the “use-case explosion” behind mobile credentials in the workplace. “From a corporate perspective, they’re looking to provide users with an enhanced experience that’s also convenient because people forget their plastic card all the time,” he says.

Reduced costs and ease of implementation

A transition to using smartphones for mobile access across an enterprise adds convenience for users but also enables companies to control costs more easily. When people lose their cards or key fobs, Coppola says, it becomes a problem for the corporation. Organizations must figure out how many cards they have to order, how to provision those cards and how long it will take to do so properly.

Increased security

Lost key fobs or access cards also create security risks, Vaughn points out. If someone finds a lost access card or key and can determine what doors it can open or what functions it can access within the organization, they can easily breach secure locations. “Mobile credentials are deemed to be more secure,” Vaughn says, since you’re far less likely to lose your phone or smartwatch than a key or plastic card.

There’s the added benefit of the ability to provide or revoke access remotely through mobile credentials. This allows security personnel, executives or supervisors to provide limited access to workers, contractors or cleaning crews on an as-needed basis, Vaughn explains. “I could send you a credential from my smartphone while I’m on the beach, giving you access on Friday at noon, and then have it be over on Sunday at three,” he says. Depending on the mobile access platform, you can even create, manage, issue and revoke access credentials in batches for added convenience.

Sustainability

Plastic cards get lost or wear out over time. Hotel guests don’t always turn in room keys to allow staff to reprogram the card for the next guest. Plastic cards, including physical gift cards, credit cards and access keys, create 5.7 million tons of plastic weight each year, according to statistics from CleverCards.com. The company writes that 200,000 plastic cards could fill a two-story building. For sustainability-minded millennials and Gen Z, those plastic cards are more than inconvenient.

“We are beginning to see that this new generation of users demands technology, but they want sustainability, as well,” Bardhan says.

Use-case explosion for smartphones

With an international move toward a reduced reliance on plastic and the convenience of phones, organizations are seeing what Bardhan calls “a use-case explosion.” “You take the plastic card, you put it on your mobile device,” he explains. “It opens up a plethora of opportunities. This is what we call a use-case explosion. You’re essentially using your mobile device for a bunch of use-cases that plastic could never fulfill.”

More than just access control

These use-cases include the ability to establish remote access, but much more. When Bardhan speaks about the use-case explosion, he’s referring specifically to all the things our phones can do.

“Users are using their mobile device to open the door, tap to enter the elevator, enter their office and log into their laptop,” he says. “They use that same device for print access, to order a coffee [or to] order a ride. Everything is done through your device. That’s where the number of use cases begins to explode.”

Interoperability

Of course, for all these functions to work seamlessly within an office building or other facility, the systems must be interoperable. “Customers expect to transact with various assets, irrespective of what those assets do,” Bardhan explains. “The access control device should be interoperable. The more interoperability you can offer, the better the solution you’re offering to end users.” He adds, “It used to be about access control keeping bad guys out. Now it’s about letting the right guys in and allowing them to move freely. That’s where the industry is headed.”

Enabling AI to track space utilization

Coppola points out that mobile credential platforms don’t necessarily need to use artificial intelligence right now, but the data collected through mobile credentials enables artificial intelligence to provide value-added services like identity positioning to assist with space utilization. “Everybody wants to claim they’re doing something fancy with artificial intelligence,” he says, pointing out that mobile credential ecosystems don’t use AI directly. “A mobile credential is an enabler.”

In commercial enterprises, building and operation managers want a better understanding of how space is used so they can optimize it. This can increase building efficiency and energy efficiency. “Through mobile credentials, we can understand where a user operates within a space. Where do people come from, where do they go and how long do they spend there? It’s not artificial intelligence; it’s data aggregation,” he says. From there, AI algorithms can recognize patterns, giving an organization a better understanding of space utilization. “Our solutions — and mobile credentials, in general — enable AI to provide value and create more favorable business outcomes.”

NFC or Bluetooth?

With all the enhanced capabilities of mobile credentials outlined, one question remains: NFC or Bluetooth? 

“Wallet-based credentials are exclusive to the NFC modality, while app-based credentials traditionally transmit over Bluetooth,” Coppola explains. Ideally, the device you choose will support both standards, as well as legacy key cards. Bardhan says the demand for NFC-based credentials has grown exponentially in the past five years since it was introduced. “Ever since the world of wallet entered the access control industry, and Apple, Google and Samsung area all supporting this tech within their wallet ecosystem, consumers have wanted similar tech,” he says. “It doesn’t mean Bluetooth sales have declined, but Wallet’s growing faster.” Whichever standard you choose, Coppola urges, all devices and interaction points within your ecosystem need to work with it.

“This is what’s called use-case support,” he says. “Human beings like to take the path of least resistance. If we know our plastic card is going to work 100% of the time, for every use case, but our mobile credential will only work on the access control system, guess what humans are going to do? They’re going to default back to the plastic cards.”

Why integrators (and end users) don’t want to get left behind

Going back to plastic cards could be one of the worst things for a savvy business to do in most situations. Vaughn points out that upgrading to mobile credentials may not be the right decision for every organization. But, generally speaking, it adds layers of security and convenience. “It’s easier to implement, and the overall cost can be lower than traditional credentials depending on the system that’s implemented,” he says.

As far as benefits to the integrator, Vaughn points out a potential for recurring revenue through subscriptions or management of the platform. Coppola urges integrators to consider implementing mobile credentials in new construction and retrofit projects. He draws an analogy to the shift from analog security cameras to IP-based cameras in the early 2000s and the effect that transition had on the security integration industry. “You had some systems integrators who were resistant to the change and some systems integrators who took that on,” he says. As IP cameras improved in quality, it changed the world of video surveillance, putting it on the network. “The folks at that time who were resistant to the change opened up the market to managed service providers, IT companies, folks that were never in the security industry before. They said, ‘It’s got an Ethernet jack on it just like your computer or printer. I can do that!’”

Coppola continues, “Fast-forward to 2024, and we’re looking at the same thing. There is this use-case explosion. The demand is there for mobile credentials and organizations see it.” Bardhan emphasizes the role of the systems integrator in the widespread adoption of mobile credentials. “They are the conduit of taking a product from a manufacturer to the end user. The best systems integrators are the ones who are thought leaders for their customers. They are the ones that advise their customers on the latest and greatest technology,” he says. “It's that moment in the industry that systems integrators need to leverage to create the best outcome for our customers and for our industry.”