FNB app may skip Windows Phone 7

First National Bank is considering skipping support for Windows Phone 7 in their banking app

Jan Vermeulen

September 19, 2012

First National Bank (FNB) is investigating Windows Phone 8 as opposed to Windows Phone 7 for its banking app, head of FNB Connect ISP and business operations Farren Roper recently told MyBroadband.

Representatives from FNB’s app team previously said that they were developing a Windows Phone 7 app.

The FNB banking app, launched in July 2011 for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS (Apple) devices (support for Nokia’s Symbian devices was added later). The app lets account holders perform a variety of transactions, locate branches, and make calls using FNB’s VoIP service.

There are also some types of transactions only available through the app such as “GeoPayments”, which was added to the app during May 2012.

Asked about their plans for Windows Phone devices, Roper said: “Our development life cycle always follows market and handset demand and we are optimistic at the prospects for Windows 8. However, no specific timeframe can be given at this stage.”

Roper also said that it was premature for them to comment on what Windows Phone 8 offers their developers.

“The features will at least be on par with our current App,” Roper said, adding that they will optimise for the platform and focus on usability, ease of use, desirability and value added services.

“More than that I cannot say at this stage without giving away competitive advantage,” Roper said.