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    How Honeywell Minimizes Mobile Device TCO and Helps Save 50%

    blog-how-honeywell-minimizes-mobile-device-tco
    blog-how-honeywell-minimizes-mobile-device-tco

    How Honeywell Minimizes Mobile Device TCO and Helps Save 50%

    Honeywell employs multiple strategies to deliver a flexible solution that minimizes total cost of ownership while providing a robust, continuously improving roadmap

    1.     Platform-based approach

    Honeywell Mobile Computers are based on the Mobility Edge Platform, a locked-down, integrated, HW-SW core that enables us to deliver rapid innovation across multiple form factors, best-in-class security, unbeaten product life and uninterrupted operating system support.  Users of Mobility Edge devices enjoy unbroken Android version continuity.

    Honeywell’s engagement with Google and Qualcomm in a technical collaboration led to Honeywell’s guarantee of Android compatibility through 12, and commitment working to towards Android 13 compatibility, thereby further extending the lifecycle of the products we provide to our customers.

    In contrast, non-Mobility Edge devices have limited forward compatibility, or even skip Android versions.

    2.     Solution-based approach

    Honeywell believes that customers invest in solutions, not devices. Toward that end, we work with our customers to understand the business objectives and to assemble complete solutions that solve those problems. This not only means building innovative and powerful computers, but also includes:

    • Purpose-built industrial design that optimizes the user experience
    • Accessory systems that are optimized for the use case, easy to use, with forward and backward compatibility
    • Platform software that provides a continuous and robust compatibility, security and support for the life of the product
    • Honeywell deployment tools that accelerate time-to-value
    • Relationships with independent software providers that provide critical apps to complete customer solution sets

    An example of this is our Universal Charge dock system for our CT40 and CT40 XP that will be compatible with the next generation product that will replace it. The Universal Dock system is a family of chargers which can be field-upgraded by the end user without tools, to support multiple Honeywell field mobility computers.  This provides our customers with a significant reduction in TCO when using multiple Honeywell products in the present and over time. 

    3.     Intelligence platform to deliver a complete solution

    The Operational Intelligence platform is a solution for whole-lifecycle management and optimization of devices.  The solution provides users with an exception-based management capability that reduces management effort while enhancing business insight and visibility.

    4.     Machine Learning and Mobility Edge.AI

    Honeywell believes that artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning, offers many opportunities to solve previously unsolvable customer business problems and to discover new ways to accelerate and error-proof our customers’ businesses.  We continue to invest in edge-based machine learning to offer enhancements in areas such as:

    • Hardware optimization and predictive replacement of batteries
    • Adaptive scan performance enhancement such as the ability to enable scan engines to read damaged or distorted barcodes
    • Learning engines for locating devices that leverage WiFi and BLE technologies
    • Smart OCR that locates relevant text and collects it along with barcode and other data

    Honeywell has established strategic relationships with edge computing technology partners to accelerate development.

    5.     Control over key technologies

    Honeywell ensures direct control of key technologies so that we can optimize our roadmap and ensure quality. One example is our scan engine technology, exemplified by the FlexRange scanner. This scan engine employs advanced optics and micro-mechanics to deliver unmatched performance. With FlexRange we can offer innovative features such as integrated scene validation for last-mile-delivery. The original FlexRange FR scan engine will be followed by a second FlexRange LR later this year.

    6.     Accessory ecosystems that are backward compatible

    Honeywell is keenly aware of customers’ desire to minimize unnecessary expense when refreshing hardware. Our Universal Dock system is designed to eliminate the need to replace accessories when migrating from current to future devices.

    How to Realize Over $2Million Savings with Honeywell Mobility Edge Devices

    Let's look at an example of how an enterprise can realize over $2 million in savings by deploying an enterprise device built on the Mobility Edge platform compared to a non-Mobility Edge enterprise alternative.

    In this scenario, you purchase 1,000 Android rugged devices.

    • In the first two years, the investment in Honeywell Mobility Edge devices and competitive devices is very similar.
    • In year four, because the alternative device is not supported beyond Android 11, you will need to reinvest in replacement devices. The estimated four-year TCO is $3,320,000 or $3,320 per device.
    • With Honeywell Mobility Edge devices, the devices you purchased on Android 9 will be supported through Android 12 or 2030. The estimated savings is $1,720,000. The four-year TCO is $1,600,000 or $1,600 per device.

    Keep in mind that your TCO advantage becomes even more compelling as you adopt multiple Mobility Edge device form factors across your operations.

       

    Honeywell Mobility Edge Product Investment

    Alternative Product Investment

       

    Timeline

    Investment

    Timeline

    Investment

    Year 1

    Device Purchase (Android 9)

     

    $1,000,000

     

    $1,000,000

    Accessory Purchase

     

    $350,000

     

    $350,000

    Development

    6 Months

    $70,000

    6 Months

    $70,000

    Testing/Qualification

    3 Months

    $20,000

    3 Months

    20,000

    Configure & Deploy

    2 Weeks

     

    2 Weeks

     

    Training

    2 Weeks

    $15,000

    2 Weeks

    $15,000

    Android Service

     

    $0

     

    $100,000

    Android Service Deployment

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    Year 2

    OS Update (Android 10)

    3 Months

    $35,000

    3 Months

    $35,000

    Android Service

     

    $0

     

    $100,000

    SW Patch

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    Year 3

    OS Update (Android 11)

    3 Months

    $35,000

    3 Months

    $35,000

    Android Service

     

    $0

     

    $100,000

    Android Service Deployment

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    Year 4

    OS Update (Android 12)

    3 Months

    $35,000

     

     

    Android Service

     

    $0

     

     

    Device Purchase (Android 12)

     

     

     

    $1,000,000

    Accessory Purchase

     

     

     

    $350,000

    Development

    6 Months

     

    6 Months

    $70,000

    Testing/Qualification

    3 Months

     

    3 Months

    $20,000

    Configure & Deploy

    2 Weeks

     

    2 Weeks

     

    Training

    2 Weeks

     

    2 Weeks

    $15,000

    Android Service Deployment

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    2 Weeks

    $10,000

    Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

     

    $1,600,000

     

    $3,320,000

    TCO per Device

     

    $1,600

     

    $3,320

    TCO

    Four-Year TCO

     

    $2,483,000

     

    $4,990,000

    Four-Year TCO per Device

     

    $1,655

     

    $3,127

     

    Honeywell Mobility Edge is a leader in Android version support providing the best available security, features, and lifecycle duration of any ruggedized device in the world. Honeywell is deeply committed to the longevity and quality of the Mobility Edge platform. The following products are built on the Mobility Edge platform: Honeywell™ CT40, CT40XP, CT60, CT60XP, CN80, CN80G, CK65, RT10A, and Thor™ VM1A, and VM3A.

    Contact a Honeywell Solutions Expert today! Call 1-800-934-3163.

    *Honeywell provides unmatched security and lifecycle by unequivocally guaranteeing and delivering more Android version compatibility. Honeywell guarantees each Android version for Mobility Edge through Android 12. As with our leadership on Android 11, Honeywell is committed to continuing efforts towards feasibility of Android 13 compatibility.

    Barry J. Ewell
    SPS BLOG EDITOR

    Barry J. Ewell is a Senior Content Marketing Communications Specialist for Honeywell Industrial Automation. He has been researching and writing on supply chain topics since 1991.