Walmart plans to give 740,000 U.S. store employees free Samsung phones.
On Thursday, Walmart announced it would be giving nearly half of its U.S. staff free Samsung phones so that workers can use an app the company created to manage shifts when someone clocks in and so the company can stay in “constant communication.” According to Reuters, Walmart, which has about 1.6 million employees” in the States, plans to distribute the phones by the end of the year.
Workers will get a Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro smartphone, which sells for $499. The phone will also receive cases and protection plans. Reuters reports most company workers already have company-shared devices.
The move was tested earlier this year, according to the news outlet. The company claims it will not be able to see personal data. However, it will see work emails, installed work apps, the user’s web history, device details, and where an employee is located when they clock in for their shift. While the devices will only be accessible while workers on their shifts, the phones may be used as personal devices, Walmart said.
In a blog post, Walmart executives Drew Holler and Kellie Romack said, “Constant communication is essential for our business. Walkie talkies were one solution, but not every associate has one.”
