The demand for handheld access control solutions is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing adoption of mobile credentials across security, technology, and industrial automation sectors. The trend follows recent developments highlighted in HID’s comprehensive industry report, which identified mobile credentials as a key driver of security transformation through 2025.
Organizations are increasingly seeking flexible, mobile-enabled security protocols to accommodate remote work, pop-up events, and campus mobility. Nearly 50 percent of global organizations now manage hybrid environments requiring portable credential readers and wireless solutions. The shift corresponds with findings from Duo Security’s research on the growing importance of mobile biometrics in hybrid work environments.
David Carta, CEO of Telaeris, notes that his company has expanded from RFID expertise to develop a comprehensive mobile access control platform. The platform enables various applications beyond traditional security mustering, including credential-based access to events, food services, and resources. Telaeris has demonstrated its innovation in this space through partnerships like its collaboration with Iris ID to enhance biometric capabilities in handheld devices.
Industrial automation is emerging as a key driver in the rugged handheld device market. The devices support automated control systems that operate multiple processes and machines while minimizing human intervention. The market for rugged handheld electronic devices is projected to grow from $8.66 billion in 2024 to $9.5 billion in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7 percent.
The market expansion is attributed to several factors, including increased industrialization, growing demands for mobility and connectivity, regulatory compliance requirements, and the expansion of e-commerce and last-mile delivery services. The industrial sector has seen particular innovation in mobile authentication, with companies like Nymi developing wearable authentication solutions for industrial environments.
In the universal access control segment, ELATEC’s RFID readers provide authentication and access management capabilities across physical and digital environments. Their solutions support 99 different physical and mobile credentials and are certified for use in up to 110 countries. The company’s readers are designed to accommodate various applications in physical and digital access management, following the industry trend toward smartphone-based digital credentials that has seen rapid adoption across sectors.
Sources: MarketScale, OpenPR, ELATEC
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