HID partners with Smart Spaces & Cohesion for Android access control

HID has joined forces with Smart Spaces and Cohesion to introduce mobile credentials in Google Wallet, offering a simplified way for consumers to access buildings, spaces and systems via their Android devices. HID is renowned worldwide for reliable identity solutions whilst Smart Spaces and Cohesion are recognised for their innovative approach to smart building software development. By integrating mobile credentials in Google Wallet, employees, tenants and guests can achieve effortless access to everyday spaces and business facilities, all through the convenience of their Android phones.

Providing not just convenience, this new feature aims to enhance the security of access credentialing. Benefiting from the privacy and security features native to Android devices, mobile credentials in Google Wallet mesh neatly with Signo and iCLASS SE readers, which are suitably compatible with the wallet software. It allows users to securely open a door, access an elevator or execute a print job merely by holding their Android device near a reader.

Adding mobile credentials in Google Wallet will facilitate individuals to utilise everything from turnstiles, lifts, specific floors in a building, to computer and printer networks. "We are thrilled to partner with Smart Spaces and Cohesion to provide their customers and users with a convenient, secure wallet experience on Android phones," said Sanjit Bardhan, VP of Mobile at HID.

Smart Spaces CEO, Dan Drogman, emphasised his excitement about the partnership, praising the convenience and security of the mobile credentials feature in Google Wallet, and stating that providing a seamless user experience for their customers is paramount to them. Equally enthusiastic about the partnership, Thru Shivakumar, Chief Executive Officer of Cohesion, said that this development represents a new benchmark for seamless and secure access solutions.

Aside from ease-of-access and bolstered security, mobile credentials in Google Wallet are cost-effective for organisations. Company badges can be distributed remotely across organisations which significantly reduces expenditure on physical cards, printers and administrative space. The user setup is straightforward, quick and highlights features such as remote enrolment in mere steps, direct delivery and storage in Google Wallet on an individual's Android phone, and remote removal of credentials in case a user's phone is misplaced or if they leave the company.

Initially, mobile credentials in Google Wallet will be accessible in Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. This collaborative venture of HID, Smart Spaces, and Cohesion not only creates smarter spaces but also posits a future where the interaction with spaces is seamless, secure, and efficient.