Crestron has 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 audio and videoconferencing capabilities, one-touch connectivity, and enterprise-grade security, along with a host of additional features to help users maximize productivity, whether deployed in a home or office, at a rotating “hot desk” station popular in hybrid workplaces, or in a conference room.
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 percent and continues to rise. 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. 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.
“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,” says Ranjan Singh, EVP, products & technology, Crestron. “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. 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.”
The Crestron Flex Phones lineup features one-touch Teams accessibility 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 inefficient task-switching, streamlines ad hoc communication, and allows users to segment their schedule and workload more effectively.
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-inch and 10-inch HD options)
- Omnidirectional microphone array with 360-degree audio pickup
- Built-in support for Teams allows users to plug the device into a PoE cable, sign in, and get started
- Scale deployment and management with integrated cloud management and monitoring with Crestron XiO Cloud Service
- Embedded occupancy sensor supports a range of 6.5 feet, for capturing meeting-space data and usage analytics
For more information, visit https://www.crestron.com/Products/Workspace-Solutions/Unified-Communications/Crestron-Flex-Phones.
