A recent story that caught my eye involved a rather audacious theft. Somewhere on a route between Italy and Poland, thieves made off with a truck carrying twelve tons of chocolate bars.
For logistics and postal leaders, the last mile has become the most critical and complex part of the entire supply chain. The pressure to improve its efficiency is immense, driven by the relentless growth of e-commerce, soaring customer expectations for speed and the high operational cost of failed deliveries.
AI-driven frontline operations will require companies to develop new capabilities that augment their current approach. Previously we explored how Asset Visibility delivers a complete, real-time view of the entire frontline environment, critical to provide AI models with knowledge of the current situation.
Healthcare professionals today navigate immense pressure. Disconnected systems and administrative burdens often pull their focus from the critical work of patient care.
Latin America’s fields and farms feed a significant portion of the world. The region produces more than a third of global agricultural exports, from Colombian coffee to Brazilian beef.
As leaders in the manufacturing sector, we stand at a pivotal moment. The pressures of global competition, rising consumer expectations, and supply chain volatility push us to innovate constantly.
Manufacturing and logistics leaders face a complex, shifting landscape. The relentless pace of e-commerce, persistent labor shortages, and rising consumer expectations demand a new approach to operational strategy.
In logistics, what you can’t see can hurt you. Every moment a package is unaccounted for between scans represents a blind spot, a gap in the story of its journey.
Inside a bustling food and beverage facility, the smooth movement of materials dictates the pace of production. Any delay in getting raw ingredients to the line or moving finished goods to the warehouse creates a bottleneck.
In today's fast-paced digital economy, the frontline of business pulses with activity.
At Zebra Technologies, we believe in the power of collaboration to create a more inclusive world. We have made a commitment to improving accessibility, and we are proud to work with third parties to ensure our hardware and our partner’s software applications
A striking paradox is unfolding in boardrooms worldwide. Companies are investing heavily in AI, yet a recent Hoover Institution study found over 80% of them report no meaningful productivity impact.
After two decades in the transportation and logistics (T&L) sector, I find its constant motion continues to fascinate me. Our industry serves as the circulatory system for the global economy, and its pulse reflects the pressures and priorities of our time.
Retailers today navigate a fiercely competitive environment. Consumers expect, and demand, seamlessly connected shopping experiences, whether they shop online or in-store.
The energy at our recent Channel Partner Summit in Orlando felt palpable. Everywhere you turned, conversations buzzed with the potential of AI.
In the fast-paced world of retail, your team relies on a growing arsenal of mobile devices. Handheld computers manage inventory in the aisle, tablets process sales from anywhere on the floor, and wearables keep associates connected and informed.
The air at a FIRST® Robotics competition crackles with a unique energy. You feel a powerful mix of excitement, intense focus, and pure ingenuity.
If you attended the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show this year, you might have seen a few eye-catching cars navigating the busy streets of New York, wrapped in the iconic Zebra stripes and featuring our name alongside our latest acquisition, Elo.
Imagine a customer walking into your store, smartphone in hand. An item they desperately want sits out of stock on the shelf. Within seconds, they locate that exact product on a competitor’s app, and with a few taps, the sale vanishes completely.
April 2026 marks 10 years of Zebra’s award-winning PartnerConnect programme. The anniversary comes at a pivotal moment for the channel, not least with AI turning more frontline tasks into intelligent operations performed and overseen by an increasingly informed and connected frontline workforce.
Bringing together thousands of the brightest minds in our industry at our Channel Partner Summit sparks incredible collaboration and reinforces a fundamental truth about our business: technology alone does not solve challenges, people do.
In today’s demanding business environment, challenges like labor shortages and supply chain disruptions test the resilience of every organization as the pressure to deliver better results with fewer resources is constant.
The challenges facing AI today, such as data scarcity and quality concerns, might seem daunting, but they also present an opportunity. By turning to the wealth of data generated on the frontline, businesses can create more intelligent, efficient, and adaptive systems.
There's new AI touchscreen SigmaSense that's making it easier for frontline workers to use rugged tablets in the field, in freezing conditions, and when water gets on the screen. Hear how it works and see it in action.
Today is an important day for Zebra as the company unveils its brand refresh. While our logo hasn’t changed, our new brand platform, “Better Every Day” represents a strategic evolution and tighter alignment with modern technology trends which recognize the impact that automation and AI are having on frontline workflows.
Retail feels different these days, doesn’t it? Shoppers demand more personalized, seamless experiences, while frontline teams juggle growing responsibilities in increasingly complex environments.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of industrial automation, staying ahead of the curve is paramount. Enter 3D imaging technology—a game-changer that is transforming manufacturing, logistics, and industrial operations by offering unprecedented precision and efficiency. As industries strive to enhance their competitiveness, understanding the capabilities and applications of 3D imaging is crucial.
A distribution center (DC) operator and a Wi-Fi solution architect explain why it often feels like such a struggle to get wireless system settings just right in warehouses (no matter how much technical investigation and adjustment occurs.)
If you’ve ever wrestled with outdated workstations, limited connectivity, or technology that feels more like a barrier than a tool, you’re not alone. Across industries, from retail and healthcare to logistics and manufacturing, the need for smarter, more flexible solutions is clear. The ZEC500 Enterprise Computer isn’t just another device. It’s a way to untangle the complexities of modern workflows and create a seamless, efficient experience for businesses, their employees and customers alike.
In the dynamic world of frontline operations, the spotlight has been on optimizing workflows through Asset Visibility, a critical pillar of operational intelligence discussed in my previous blog post.
In the ever-evolving landscape of intelligent automation and manufacturing, smart cameras have emerged as pivotal tools transforming machine vision technology. With advancements in edge processing and seamless integration capabilities, these devices are redefining the way industries approach efficiency and precision. As manufacturers, logistics operators, and warehouse professionals seek to optimize operations, smart cameras offer a promising solution for intelligent automation. By delivering real-time insights, and automated decision-making capabilities, robust, scalable, and adaptable smart cameras are ideal for a diverse range of industrial applications.
If you’ve ever managed a team on the frontline, whether in a warehouse, a hospital, or a retail store, you know how challenging the work can be.
Last month, Zebra and Clearview, a Zebra industrial automation distributor, hosted a launch event to officially open our new Industrial Automation Center of Excellence. The two-day launch event underscored our commitment to collaboration and innovation in fixed industrial scanning and machine vision.
Today, I want to share with you the story behind this initiative. The center is more than just a facility; it represents our vision for the future of industrial operations—a future where technology serves people and empowers organizations to thrive.
Should you bring in a partner to help you research, design, or implement business technology? Or should you handle everything in house? Larry Walsh, CEO, Chief Analyst & Founder of Channelnomics, explains exactly how resellers, systems integrators, and service providers can help you most effectively translate concepts of how you want things to work into reality.
Before a pair of shoes reaches your doorstep, it may pass through up to 30 touchpoints where Zebra products, solutions, or workers using Zebra devices play a critical role in its journey.
Retail operations generate vast amounts of data every day. This data, which includes sales transactions, inventory levels, customer interactions, and employee actions, holds the key to understanding and resolving operational issues. However, traditional data analysis methods often fall short, struggling to address the multi-step nature of many retail problems.
Want to make the right decisions for your tech project? Ask your tech partner about the mistakes they have made in the past. The ideal partner will possess extensive firsthand experience across a variety of IT implementations, equipping them with the expertise to steer you clear of typical and expensive project pitfalls.
As the backbone of retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics (T&L) businesses, frontline workers drive results. Yet, according to Korn Ferry, a new study reveals that more than three-quarters (77%) of these workers believe senior leaders fail to understand their daily challenges.
In part one of the series, I shared my experience attending Zebra’s inaugural RFID Forum in Prague. As we continue our journey through our first-ever RFID Forum, it’s evident that RFID is not just a buzzword but a pivotal technology driving tangible change across industries.
Warehouses, factories, and other supply chain facilities have become host to some intense competition and big prizes lately. Who would have thought? (Apparently, the people who understand how to modify behavior and started building gamification apps.) Learn more about how gamification works and how it can help motivate your workers.
As Zebra rolls out its refreshed brand, I realize how privileged our role is as Independent Software Vendors in applying this new messaging around mobile devices.
Turnover rates for warehouse and storage workers remain significantly higher than in other sectors. According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual churn in transportation, warehousing and utilities is currently around 43%.
If you're an SAP customer looking to migrate from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA to better support frontline workers and back-office processes, you may be wondering: "Should I choose SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) or Stock Room Management (SRM)?" This post will help you arrive at the right answer for your business.
As business leaders, we constantly look for ways to streamline operations, empower teams, and deliver better results. If you’ve ever wondered how AI could make your frontline team’s workday smoother, more efficient, and maybe even a little less stressful, the Frontline AI Summit offered some exciting answers. Hosted by Zebra Technologies, this event brought together some of the sharpest minds in the industry to talk about how AI is already transforming operations and what’s next.
In the world of technology, the expectations for RFID to become a game-changer have been clear for decades. Yet, as Nuno Miguel Guimarães from Sensormatic highlighted during Zebra’s inaugural RFID Forum in Prague, the industry has long heralded each year as “the year of RFID.”
The way we work is changing, and it’s happening fast. Across industries like manufacturing, retail, and transportation and logistics (T&L), businesses are embracing smarter, faster, and more connected ways of working. Why? Because the world demands it. Customers expect flawless service, employees want meaningful roles, and companies need to stay resilient in the face of constant change. But how do we get there? The answer lies in intelligent operations.
When Kevin Lawton, host of The New Warehouse Podcast, visited the Zebra Robotics demo center in San Jose, we didn’t just demonstrate Zebra Symmetry™ Fulfillment. We put him to work.
With just a few minutes of instruction, Kevin went through a complete warehouse workflow, from building a cart at induction to picking items in the warehouse and unloading finished orders at a packout station.
“I had minimal — minimal — training on this. So you can see how easy it is,” Lawton said after completing his first day on the job.
In addition to giving Kevin an immersive experience, I sat down with him and Cody Upp, Zebra’s head of commercial robotics sales and solutions, to record a full podcast episode. Here are some of the high points from our interview.
Although it’s been less than a year since the launch of Zebra Symmetry™ Fulfillment, the impact it’s having on end users is truly exceptional. During a recent livestream on Supply Chain Now, I had the privilege of hearing about those benefits from a customer’s perspective. Bryan Wright, CTO and COO of G10 Fulfillment, shared the real-world challenges that led to his company’s search for automation, and why they ultimately chose to work with Zebra.
The scarcity of labor resources and high costs of robotics ownership are pushing fulfillment companies to rethink their automation strategies. Zebra addressed these challenges head on in a recent Making the Case report published in collaboration with Modern Materials Handling.
This report delves into the top challenges fulfillment operations are dealing with on the robotics front today. It reveals how a collaborative approach to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can help you overcome automation hurdles, operate more efficiently, and enhance overall performance and profitability.
In today’s fast-paced industries, ranging from logistics to retail and manufacturing, the need for precision, efficiency, and real-time visibility into assets has become a critical factor for success. Organizations under constant pressure to streamline operations want to cut costs and maintain agility, making it essential to adopt tools that enhance productivity and simplify complex workflows.
Over the last couple years, an unfortunate but true joke has circulated around the Zebra offices related to the fact that it was easier to buy an actual, real-life zebra online through your favorite search engine – in no more than three clicks – than it was to use our Zebra Technologies’ website (www.zebra.com) to buy one of our products. The good news: this is no longer the case with our new “How to Buy” experience!
Recognition feels good, but it seldom comes from solitary effort. It grows from a shared purpose and collective dedication.
Label printing plays an important role in ensuring operational efficiency, product traceability, and regulatory compliance in industries like manufacturing, transportation & logistics, retail, and healthcare. Whether it's labeling parts on a production line, shipping packages, tagging retail inventory, or identifying medical supplies, the accuracy and consistency of labels directly impact business outcomes and the global supply chain.
As a communications strategist, I live for a great story. I recently had the distinct pleasure of hearing five incredible ones during a special CRN Women of the Channel podcast.
Transportation & logistics (T&L) leaders confront a fast-moving landscape where agility and precision define success. Our study titled, “Impact of Intelligent Operations” which was done in collaboration with Oxford Economics offers fresh insights into how intelligent operations transform this vital industry.
Although there’s a growing understanding of how autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can reduce warehouse travel, we need to be asking a much more important question. How can a real-world operation transform the efficiency of its fulfillment workflows by optimizing both robots and people?
Picture this: David, an employee in a bustling store, notices a customer who looks frustrated as she is searching through the jeans display.
Picture this: It’s a busy morning in a bustling retail store. Shelves need restocking, customers have questions, and associates juggle tasks to keep operations running smoothly. Meanwhile, in a warehouse across town, workers navigate aisle after aisle to locate products, prepare shipments, and reconcile inventory. At the same time, a driver is frantically trying to find the packages for their delivery in the back of their van to keep up with the delivery schedule.
Unlock the full potential of AI in your business operations by integrating automated data capture. Discover how tools like RFID tags, barcodes, and environmental sensors can provide AI with the comprehensive data it needs to make smart decisions, spot patterns, and enhance efficiency. Ensure real-time visibility and seamless data access to empower AI-driven insights and streamline your operations. Learn from Andy Zosel’s expert insights in this latest Forbes Technology Council article on leveraging AI and data capture for superior business intelligence.
The world is changing fast, and so is your frontline. Whether you’re in retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics (T&L), or healthcare, you’ve likely felt the pressure to do more with less.
Gartner, Inc., a research and advisory firm, has identified Zebra Technologies as a Sample Vendor in its Hype Cycle for Intralogistics Smart Robots and Drones, 2025 report. We’re proud to be recognized in both the Collaborative Aisle Picking Robots and Autonomous Mobile Robots (Transport) categories for the second year in a row and are making complimentary access to the research available for a limited time.
Do we need to shift to more “practical education” programs to ensure students are prepared for what they’ll encounter, and need to do, in the real world?
Imagine walking into a store you’ve visited for years, only to find the shelves are empty, the decor outdated, and the staff unsure of how to help. That’s what it feels like when a brand doesn’t keep up with the evolving needs of its customers.
In the fast-paced world of frontline operations, where distribution centers race to ship packages, retail stores are crowded with shoppers, and manufacturing plants strain to meet tight schedules, it is increasingly difficult to orchestrate all the simultaneous activities it takes to be successful. Companies are finding that they need to track more information than ever – accurate, real-time information.
Discover how AI can streamline your software testing processes while understanding the potential risks it may introduce to your business. Learn the essential steps to ensure trust in your testing results and maintain the software’s performance and objectivity. Optimize your testing strategies with a balanced approach to leveraging AI effectively and safely.
The features and functionality of the cameras, sensors, and scanners used across your vision system won’t matter if you don’t have the right software underneath. Software is the glue. So, I'm curious: Did you closely inspect the software needed to run each of those pieces of hardware before buying them? Did you consider how easy (or difficult) it would be to get all the software platforms to work together as part of "one system"? Or have you found the software complicating things since putting those new hardware components in place? No matter your answer, you need to read this post.
When an ambulance is dispatched to a call, the assumption is that it will be fully stocked with the right equipment and medicines for EMTs to stabilize patients or perform life-saving measures in the field. But with the increased number of calls for service, it’s becoming more difficult for EMTs to maintain proper stock in their ambulances – and that has patient care implications. Why is such a fundamental task so hard to manage? That’s one of the questions we asked two public safety experts. The other question? Is there anything that can be done to reduce the wait times for ambulance services where the calls for service are exceeding EMTs’ capacity? These experts have some thoughts.
If you’re looking for a way to complete airplane cabin inspections and turn around flights faster without compromising passenger or crew safety, check out this new RFID-supported process that’s proving helpful for airlines like AirAsia.
You need to know everything there is to know about deep learning OCR, a new AI-based text reading tool, mainly because it’ll tell you what you need to know about so many things – such as your products’ quality and status.
We hear a lot about the potential dangers of BPA and BPS. That's why the labels going on every package, product, customer pickup order, or patient (wristband) should be phenol-free – especially since there’s now a phenol-free label option for almost every application. This isn't just a concern with food labels. But when was the last time you checked what was in the labels you use across your business? If you can't remember or don't think you ever have, read this blog post to find out what you do and don't want to see in your labels then go check the labels you're buying to see if it might be time to make a change.
Zebra's Senior Director of AI and Advanced Technologies, Stuart Hubbard, sat down with inspired software engineer Saliha Demir to find out what she has learned – and once misunderstood – about AI. Her early AI experiences are certainly a wake-up call to us all. Listen to this…
Though AI can work more quickly than people can in some cases, it still takes its cues from us. That's why you always need to keep a human in the loop. But that’s not the only reason why you shouldn’t let an AI work completely independently. Zebra's Senior Director of AI and Advanced Technologies sits down with the Interim CEO of Humans in the Loop to talk more about why human oversight will always be needed with AI systems and if there’s ever a time an AI system can be left to work autonomously.
Curious how much memory is left on your Zebra Android devices? Want to know which apps (or devices) are using the most cellular data? Make sure you’ve set up the automated reports available to you in VisibilityIQ Foresight for both key performance indicators.
Zebra’s inclusive, innovative culture ensures our employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day. Find out how.
There's a lot more to consider than just the temperature rating when choosing a handheld mobile computer or tablet – or even an RFID reader, barcode scanner, printer, or wearable – for use in cold chains (or cold weather). So, Andre Luecht took the time to detail what other factors influence the performance of technology devices, accessories and supplies in different types of cold settings so that you always make the right choice for your operation the first time.
There are many reasons why you should be automating – and incorporating AI into your demand planning. A more accurate and trustworthy “prediction” is just the start. Octavio Hinojosa, Co-Founder and Vice President at Wise Athena, explains the others in this blog post.
When it comes to technology implementations, there's never benefit in trying to go it alone. You always need to bring in someone who knows the technology tools you want to use. They'll help you get things working perfectly. But should you try to find one partner who can “do it all”? Or is it better to assemble a team of experts to help you manage the IT/OT convergence and achieve your business objectives? Larry Walsh, CEO and Chief Analyst, Channelnomics, helps answer those questions.
Two healthcare and pharmaceutical sector experts say resistance to change is causing many organizations to miss out on the benefits of automation and experience preventable disruptions in their operations. Yet, there are many ways you can turn DSCSA requirements into business advantages...if you're open to automating certain parts of your business. Find out how.
Cleaning up the physical space and processes in your receiving area might feel like a big step, but it’s the best first step given receiving sets the tone for the rest of your warehouse operations. Here are eight things you can do to drive noticeable improvement quite easily.
Did you know there’s a way to configure your SAP mobile apps so they – and you – can keep working when offline? That's probably good news if you’re losing access to your SAP data and workflows every time your mobile device loses its connection to a Wi-Fi or 4G/5G network connection, you’re going to want to hear this. Read this blog post to learn more.
There are three things you must do – and one reality you must accept – when managing inventory data…if you want to get your inventory right. Find out what they are by reading this blog post from a supply chain expert.
Were exactly should RFID, machine vision and other automation technologies be used within the reverse logistics chain? Alex Whiting, founder of MiTEQ, reveals what he’s found to work best.
Hear how T&L companies, utilities, government agencies, and other service providers are using the tablets currently installed as ELDs to inject more automation and intelligence onboard their fleet vehicles. Our guest, Michael Inglima from Ram Mounts, explains how these mobile devices are working with AI software, cameras, RFID and more to assist workers in and out of the cab as well as those coordinating goods transport and service call response.
What do you think about on-device AI? Is it all hype or will it prove helpful to frontline workers? Zebra CTO Tom Bianculli sat down with Art Miller from Qualcomm and Rouzbeh Aminpour from Google Cloud in this new podcast episode to break down the benefits of this new approach to AI so you can decide for yourself.
Zebra CEO Bill Burns highlights some notable accomplishments of Zebra employees, partners, and customers in his latest blog post about the impact of culture on a company.
Should you be using AI to inform decisions or drive action in the warehouse? If so, where and how? Mark Butler, Global Partner Manager at Zebra, consulted with two experts from Körber Supply Chain to get you all the info you need to make the right decision for your people, processes, and profit targets.
Responsible AI development, training, testing, and use require ongoing engagement and foundational practices to ensure long-term success and ethical implementation. Here is what you need to do to get started, whether you're an AI model developer, tester, or user.
While AI is certainly proving helpful with quality control during the electric battery production and electric vehicle assembly processes, AI isn’t the only thing that improves inspection results. Find out what can help automotive suppliers, manufacturers, and integrators even more.
We’ve found a way to package many of our products without using plastic…and without compromising their quality in transit. Check this out.
The food wasted annually – the ~1.3 billion tons of food that ends up in the landfill – contains enough calories to feed approximately three billion people for a year! So, why is even a single person experiencing food insecurity or hunger right now? There is clearly enough food being produced to feed everyone on the planet today and then some. In this blog post, Leo Lowy takes a closer look at the root causes of food waste and loss as well as the technology tools that could be applied right now to stop food waste in its tracks at a global level. Read his recommendations.
The thinking used to be that a warranty plan was enough to protect business mobile devices, scanners, and printers. Here’s why that thinking has proven to be flawed.
What do 3D printing, Nikola Tesla, pharmaceutical production, the future of healthcare, and farming on Mars all have in common? Check out the podcast below to find out!
Curious about Zebra's AI practices? Want to confirm we're acting responsibly and making decisions with your best interests in mind? This is how we’re working to build trust in our systems and help protect your interests when using any Zebra technology solutions that leverage AI.
If you're planning to use machine vision to assist with quality control or automate other visual inspections, there are some things you need to account for when designing your system. In the latest episode of the Industrial Automation Insider podcast, two engineers from Tri-Phase Automation explain what you should think about when spec'ing out your vision system to avoid headaches later on and make sure you get the results (and return on investment) you want.
There are many things happening behind the scenes from a security and performance perspective that requires intervention (and likely an upgrade) right now if you're front-line workers are using older Android mobile devices. Find out which Android devices are affected and how their continued use could impact your business.
What can different wireless and location technologies really do? What can they not? If you want truth and transparency, read this blog post. It sheds light on some eye-opening facts.
Do you know exactly when, where and why losses are happening within your operations? If not, it will be hard to figure out how to prevent them, fix inventory distortion, and eliminate friction within your operations. So, let’s talk about loss detection.
The blessing and curse of inventory science is the number of different formulas and models. The blessing is that there is a model and research to support thousands of different nuances. The curse is that this confuses practitioners and companies getting started, leading companies to waste time and money implementing nuanced policies that aren’t better than a simple model. Read this post to find out what makes an inventory formula good (enough.)
Sometimes it takes more than “industry standard” best practices and policies to protect your people. These are the extra efforts that have helped us reach a rarely achieved workplace safety milestone: one million hours worked with zero workplace safety incidents.
While buying technology online for your business can be convenient in the short-term, in some situations buying from a sales rep can save you time, budget, and a headache long-term. Here's when you should buy online versus direct from a person.