Big four bank First National Bank (FNB) has unveiled a new banking application that has been developed from scratch and customised for several tablet operating systems.
"Global tablet sales will surpass desktops in 2013 and mobile computers in 2014. Every business needs a tablet-specific strategy," tweeted FNB CEO Michael Jordaan ahead of the big four bank's "next-generation Banking App" launch this morning.
FNB says the new mobile banking app, customised for tablets, is the first in SA to allow new and existing customers to open an account in real-time, directly from the app. The app is available for download as of today in app stores across Apple, Android and Windows 8 devices.
Farren Roper, head of FNB Connect ISP and business operations, says the new app was developed with ease-of-use as a key priority and uses the full capability of the latest tablet devices. "It is completely custom-made and not a re-skin of our existing smartphone app."
FNB says the tablet app is content-rich, both inside and outside of login. FNB customers will also be presented with customised content according to their profile. Non-FNB customers will have access to information about FNB products, promotions and rewards.
"We decided to build a customised app in order to offer consumers a fully-immersive app that includes touch-screen tablet banking, with features like drag-and-drop, swiping and double tapping, all of which make for a great user experience," says Roper.
According to research firm IDC, year-on-year sales for tablet devices have grown by 78.4%, compared to laptop and desktop computers, which declined by 4.1%. The tablet market grew more than 80% and surpassed 128 million units shipped last year.
The firm expects tablet shipments to surpass desktop PC shipments for the first time in 2013. In addition, IDC forecasts tablets will outpace "portable" PC shipments next year. Currently, SA has more than an estimated one million tablets in circulation.
"Through our smartphone and tablet deal, FNB has also noted the growing popularity of tablet devices in SA, with more than 50% of devices sold, being tablets. As such, we believe that it is important for us to have a strategy that provides for ongoing digital banking solutions on tablet devices."
However, says FNB, new adopters of tablets are not the only consumers who will benefit from the app. According to FNB, 26% of their current 450 000 smartphone Banking App customers access the app from a tablet device, meaning that these customers can now migrate to the FNB Banking App for tablets, designed for their specific device.
This, says FNB, in in accordance with the bank's overall strategy for tablet devices. "Customisation is crucial for tablets because of their popularity globally and in SA. Tablet devices are important enough to have their own roadmap," explains Roper.
As part of FNB's larger tablet strategy, consumers can get their tablet device pre-loaded with its tablet banking app together with free connectivity. "The aim is to create an ecosystem that matches the lifestyle of the digital consumer."
Aside from content, new account openings and applying for products, some of the other functionality contained in the app includes viewing accounts, viewing detailed balances, changing limits, viewing transaction history, viewing eBucks, once-off payments, multiple payments, forex and calculators, send money, as well as prepaid airtime and electricity.
"We know that tablets are very popular devices and that their popularity is on the rise, which has given us an opportunity to super-serve our tablet app clients. This app was built in SA, by South Africans, our FNB mobile and connect team," concludes Roper.
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