Walmart will give 740,000 employees a free Samsung smartphone

Walmart will give 740,000 employees free Samsung smartphones by the end of the year so they can use a new app to manage schedules, the company announced Thursday.

The phone, the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro, can also be used for personal use, and the company will provide free cases and protection plans. The phone's retail price is currently $499. Employees will only be able to use work features on the new Me@Walmart while on the clock, the company said. "The idea of this app started as a way to manage associates' schedules and has grown into our single in-store app for U.S. associates, saving them time and helping them be more efficient," the company said.