Access control has always been a work-in-progress, readapting itself into new forms driven by the stunning, high-speed evolution of modern technology.

We?ve seen hardware evolve from PIN pads to proximity cards to smart cards, and now ? as we prepare to enter the 2020s ? we are seeing the rise of mobile credentials for access control on smartphones. At the same time, the software that drives the solutions and supports the readers is also changing, from traditional hard-wired systems with local servers all the way skyward to wireless and cloud.

With each successive generation of access control, new technological capabilities have sought to increase both convenience and security. However, advancements in one area have not always translated equally well to the other.

We have seen some technologies boost convenience but decrease security ? as well as others that enhance security but make for a difficult user experience. This is certainly the case for mobile credentialing, and as a result, widespread adoption has stalled.

Fortunately, a new generation of mobile credential solutions is now arriving that promises to vault this technology into the mainstream, as it finally delivers superior performance on both fronts.

Two Steps Forward: Increased Security

Today, the market demand is strong for access control technology that employs mobile credentials that are managed and implemented via apps on personal smartphones, replacing the need for physical cards.

Mobile credentialing has the potential to improve both security and convenience and is delivering enhanced protection in many ways. To date, however, mobile credentialing has done a better job of increasing security than convenience.

This is unfortunate, because for smartphone