Zebra Technologies will present its latest AI-driven hardware, software and services at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show from January 11–13 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City (Booth #3303). The company’s timing aligns with findings from its 2025 Global Shopper Study, which shows that 79.6% of consumers demand seamless omnichannel experiences and 89.2% of frontline associates believe advanced technology would improve customer service. By demonstrating integrated AI, automation and real-time data capture at a premier industry event, Zebra aims to reinforce its leadership in intelligent operations and drive adoption among large retail chains seeking to reduce inefficiencies and boost same-store sales growth.

Zebra’s new TC501 and TC701 handheld mobile computers are built on Qualcomm® Dragonwing™ Q-6690 processors and support Wi-Fi 7, 5G and UHF RFID with Impinj Gen2x extensions. These ultra-rugged, AI-native devices feature the industry’s first AMOLED display for 30% brighter visuals and 20% lower power consumption versus traditional LCDs, plus a color-imaging scan engine that captures barcodes and text from any surface in under 300 milliseconds. By delivering location awareness and secure data capture in challenging environments, Zebra projects these products could help large grocery and department store chains reduce mis-scans by up to 25% and improve pick-and-pack throughput by 18%.

Zebra’s Frontline AI Suite comprises three pillars: on-device AI Enablers (vision, text and barcode recognition APIs), pre-configured AI Blueprints for tasks like shelf merchandising and proof of delivery, and the GenAI-driven Zebra Companion agents for sales and procedural coaching. Customers such as a national home improvement retailer reported a 40% reduction in shelf audit times using AI Blueprints, while early deployments of Zebra Companion achieved a 22% lift in upsell conversions per associate. By processing data at the edge, these solutions promise sub-100 ms decision cycles and up to 30% fewer operational errors in mission-critical workflows.

Beyond core AI solutions, Zebra will preview several new offerings at NRF 2026, including ShareCradle, a modular USB PD 3.1 charging system that supports up to 15 devices simultaneously and extends battery life by up to 35%; the SP20 single-plane scanner, with an 80% larger field of view for faster checkouts and a five-minute setup; and the ET401 enterprise tablet, integrating on-chip UHF RFID for real-time stock updates that can cut out-of-stock incidents by 50%. Additionally, Zebra’s Device Rental Service offers flexible access to TC78, TC58e and TC27 units during peak seasons, enabling retailers to scale frontline technology without capital investment and potentially reduce peak-period labor costs by 12%.