Mobile Banking Updates - Mar 21

Malauzai Software Launches Mobile Banking SmartApp for iPad
"Malauzai Software Inc., a provider of mobile banking SmartApps for community financial institutions, has launched its mobile banking app for iPad devices. The technology is currently in use by several institutions, including Huntsville, Ala.-based Worthington Federal Bank. Malauzai’s iPad SmartApp takes advantage of the larger tablet screen to introduce enhanced navigation capabilities to the mobile banking experience. Accounts are now displayed on scrolling tiles instead of lists, and users can have more than one workspace open at a time. For instance, users can view transaction history while making a transfer."

Mobile virus writers pay to Google Play
"An explosion in mallicious software -malware - targeting Android smartphone users is being fueled in part by a budding market for mobile virus creation kits, as well as a brisk market for hijacked or fraudulent developer accounts on Google's app store Google Play that can be used to disguise malware as legitimate apps for sale. I recently encountered an Android malware developer on a semi-private underground forum who was actively buying verified developer accounts at Google Play for $US100 apiece. Google charges just $US25 for Android developers who wish to sell their applications through the Google Play marketplace, but it also requires the accounts to be approved and tied to a specific domain. The buyer in this case was offering $US100 for sellers willing to part with an active, verified Google Play account tied to a dedicated server."

Will mobile banking fees turn away consumers? - Mobile Commerce Daily
"PNC bank is reportedly considering charging customers a fee when they use their mobile phones to deposit a check, a service that is now free. One of the attractions of mobile banking for consumers has been convenience but the fact that these services are typically free has also played a role. The question is whether by tacking a fee onto mobile deposits, this might slow the adoption of mobile banking."

Tablet users expected to make up 19 percent of mobile banking customers in 2017
One in four tablet users is predicted to pay bills via the device by 2017, according to a report by Juniper Research. Adoption of bill presentment and payment, or BPP, transactional banking by tablet users will be higher than by smartphone users, the report found. Tablet users are expected to make up 19 percent of mobile banking customers in 2017, or 200 million users, up from 9 percent of mobile banking customers in 2013."

Pros and Cons of Mobile Banking
"Many major commercial banks are now offering consumers the choice to make deposits, send money, and perform other routine tasks using a mobile app. Bank customers can now use a smartphone or tablet for basic transactions like check deposits and bill payments, making it easier to keep an eye on finances without a trip to the ATM."

Fiserv integrates P2P service into mobile banking platform
"Financial services technology provider Fiserv Inc. is looking to expand the use of its Popmoney peer-to-peer payments product. The company announced today that it will be integrating the P2P feature into its Mobiliti mobile banking platform. With the integration, P2P payments can be made directly from a user's mobile banking account. Additionally, users of P2P payments can manage payments and view transaction history from within their mobile banking application."

As Mobile Reshapes Payments Business, Fiserv Combines P2P Payments & Mobile Banking Offerings
"As consumers become more comfortable and engaged with the concepts of mobile wallets, mobile payments and other forms of digital payments transactions, the financial technology community is taking notice. For example, more than 16 billion person-to-person payments are made each year, according to McKinsey & Company. A 2012 Forrester Research report found that 51% of tablet banking users and 46% of mobile banking users would like to make person-to-person payments via their devices. Even though there is still considerable uncertainty about how things will play out in terms of standards, revenues and regulation no one wants to be left out of the race to dominate the mobile money space."