The inundation of mobile devices in the modern world has made them a common utility in many different aspects of life. Whether it's catching up with friends, calling family, updating social media channels or even getting work done, these devices have applications for everything. Mobile banking options are also turning them into primary financial tools, in some cases replacing cards and cash completely. Consumers' growing familiarity with technology is making them more popular every year.
Broader app coverage
As more people come to own mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, so too do mobile banking options continue to grow. According to Daily Deal Media, more than 80 of the top 100 banks in the United States currently have an application option, allowing their customers to monitor accounts, transfer money and even make payments from their phones.
Since bank branches and ATMs are not always convenient and carrying a laptop is cumbersome, being able to perform vital financial planning is now an option for on-the-go consumers. What's more, these programs offer a different kind of functionality than online banking, make them an important addition to monetary wellness tools and other personal programs.
"Banks are now moving beyond designing mobile banking offerings that are simply a subset of what consumers can already do in online banking," said Chris Musto of Keynote. He said that mobile payments are still in the works with many banks, but this may soon make wallets obsolete.
Shifting desires
The source cited a report from First Annapolis Consulting, which showed that banks are changing their offerings based on the kinds of devices consumers most often own. This move ensures that people will be able to make the best use of the bank's services, and that the financial institution can serve all the needs of its clientele.
American Banker wrote that this can be seen especially as Microsoft rolls out its newest line of products. Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface may represent a shift in the number of tablet owners in the U.S., but in the meantime, catering to new consumer access methods will ensure ongoing mobile banking initiatives.
"It comes down to a fairly nontechnical point," Charaka Kithulegoda, CIO of Microsoft, told the source. "It's all giving our customers choice."