Crestron today announced Crestron Flex Phones, a new portfolio of Microsoft Teams-certified desk phones for “organizations seeking a dedicated collaboration experience for their employees.”
The Crestron Flex Phones “bring best-in-class audio and videoconferencing capabilities, one-touch connectivity, and enterprise-grade security, along with a host of additional features to help users maximize productivity,” the company announcement says.
Crestron Flex Phones can be deployed in an office, at a rotating “hot desk” station in hybrid workplaces or in a conference room, according to the announcement.
“More meetings are happening than ever before – data from Microsoft found that in the last year, meeting time has more than doubled for Teams users to 148% and continues to rise,” the Crestron announcement says.
Related: Crestron Introduces Next Generation of Crestron Flex Unified Communications Portfolio
“As companies re-open physical office spaces and explore permanent hybrid models, the need to streamline remote collaboration and introduce dedicated devices will grow in importance, as juggling calls, scheduling calendars, and sharing content across multiple devices has proven inefficient and unsuccessful,” according to the company announcement.
“Identifying these end-user pain points, Crestron has leaned into its expertise in enterprise UC technology to engineer intelligent desk phones that are easy to install, use, support, and upgrade – even remotely,” the announcement says.
“With videoconferencing cementing itself as a critical piece of the modern workplace, it’s less practical to task a laptop or a smartphone with hosting video, audio, and call-related content at the same time, especially if a user wants to use that device for note-taking or accessing files,” said Ranjan Singh, executive VP of products and technology for Crestron, in the company announcement.
“In creating Crestron Flex Phones, we’re giving users their other devices back because they will now have a dedicated option to join a Teams call from or transfer a meeting to a second device,” he said. “Crestron Flex Phones let users seamlessly conference from one device and share content from another – an approach adopted by many workers in today’s hybrid environments.”
Minimized Task Switching with Flex Phones
The Crestron Flex Phones lineup features one-touch Teams accessibility to offer quick and easy meeting experiences so users can instantly access any meeting, share notes, and collaborate directly from the dedicated Crestron Flex device.
By handling all audio, video, and content sharing, the Crestron Flex Phones frees other devices, like a laptop or PC, to be used as productivity tools during a meeting. This minimizes task-switching, streamlines ad hoc communication, and allows users to segment their schedules and workloads.
Crestron Flex Phones ensure employees never miss a meeting, feedback from the team, or supporting visuals, all while delivering clear audio, sharp video, and a highly intuitive Teams interface.
Key features include:
- Video- or audio-only options
- 1080p Cameras (for video version)
- Oversized touchscreen display (8” and 10” HD options)
- Omnidirectional microphone array with 360-degree audio pickup that ensures everyone in a meeting is heard whether on the Teams call or on speakerphone
- Built-in support for Teams allows users to simply plug the device into a PoE cable, sign in, and get started
- Easily scale deployment and management with integrated cloud management and monitoring with Crestron XiO Cloud Service
- Embedded occupancy sensor supporting a range of 6.5 feet, for capturing meeting-space data and usage analytics
