Mobile Banking Updates - Jan 4

Banks Rolling Out Mobile Apps For Small Business Users
"A growing number of Connecticut banks are adopting mobile banking applications as they compete for younger depositors and customers — especially small business owners — who demand more ease of service on their hand-held devices. Citizens Bank, for example, just launched one of the first mobile banking applications in the Northeast targeted specifically at small business owners. It allows users to manage their cash and payments, approve pending transactions, view account history and transaction details, and receive alerts and bank mail."

Mobile-banking, a springboard for new heights
"K Mahmood Sattar, chairman of the Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) said the new year will see lot of positive changes in the country's banking sector with launching of mobile-based banking. 'I hope, country's banking sector will be benefitted to a large extent in the new year with our strong efforts on fortification of the theme 'financial inclusion' covering the teeming millions through mobile phones.'"

BBVA Compass Launches Native iPad Application
"BBVA Compass today announced the launch of a native iPad™ application that marks the first U.S. mobile banking application that visually goes beyond the traditional on-line banking interface of the few other iPad banking applications. The BBVA Compass Mobile Banking (PD) was released on Dec. 23, just in time for the Christmas holiday shopping season. In addition to the new iPad application, BBVA Compass also offers native mobile banking applications for Android™, BlackBerry® and iPhone™ users. Each of the applications for these mobile devices was built in house to provide greater flexibility and functionality."

RBC introduces a very robust mobile banking app for multiple platforms
"I had the opportunity to chat today with James McGuire and the folks at RBC today about their new mobile app. I had already picked up the iphone version when it was launched Friday, and today James, Eddy and Jill took us through the Blackberry version."

ING Direct's mobile banking apps help keep bank online-only
"ING Direct's mobile banking and investing system went live in July on the iPhone and other devices, and its early success has helped to reaffirm the bank's decision not to build physical banks, its CIO said recently. 'We will never build physical banks,' said ING Direct CIO Rudy Wolfs in an interview. 'Our cost advantage [without buildings] is great. We have great rates and virtually no fees.'"

Alpine Bank Deploys Diebold Mobile Banking
"Alpine Bank of Grand Junction, Colo., ($2.7 billion in assets) has deployed Diebold's MobiTransact hosted mobile banking platform. The bank says it selected the service to remain competitive with larger financial institutions and because of its flexibility, for instance in including bill payment. MobiTransact provides text and browser support to a variety of mobile devices, rivaling Alpine's competitors whose offerings are Web-only versions of mobile banking, which require an online account. With MobiTransact, Alpine Bank can provide its customers immediate access to their accounts without requiring an online banking account."

Mobile Remote Deposit Tools Set to Capture a Wider Market
"For all the hullabaloo that mobile remote deposit capture generated this year, the availability of the service has been limited to a few banks' customers. But that is expected to change in 2011 as banks seek to further differentiate their mobile and online services. In pushing mobile, banks are challenged to come up with uses that show their customers how such services are unique and whether they are safe, said Mark Schwanhausser, a senior analyst at Javelin Strategy and Research in Pleasanton, Calif."