Banking18.03.2014

New Standard Bank app

Standard Bank has launched a new banking app for tablets, adding that an updated smartphone banking app will follow in the second half of the year.

The bank originally launched its mobile app in June 2012.

Standard Bank said that popular banking functionality from the current mobile phone app has been optimised for the new app for tablets, and enhanced to include comprehensive beneficiary management, payments to phone contacts, cash withdrawal without a card, future-dated and recurring payments, savings goals and an innovative Impulse Save feature.

The group said that one of the key differentiators of its new app is that it provides customers with a single-view platform for all interaction with the services offered by the bank.

“Customers can access their business and personal accounts as well as insurance, wealth management and stockbroking activities in one go,” its said.

The new app is created for Apple iOS and Android, with no immediate plans for other platforms at this stage.

While Standard Bank’s current mobile phone app is still accessible on Android, Apple, Blackberry and Windows phones, the new app has been optimised for larger screen tablet devices.

The group said that the next mobile app will cater for the so called ‘phablet’ devices.

“Standard Bank’s app for tablets is set to transform mobile banking and the way that customers experience banking. It is all about allowing the customer to dictate functionality and customise the app according to their needs, rather than the app dictating to the customer what should be prioritised,” said Standard Bank Group’s Personal and Business Banking CEO, Peter Schlebusch.

The new app has dashboards with movable tiles. Each tile displays a different financial solution that forms part of the customer’s profile and provides important insight about each solution at a glance, the group said.

On security, Schlebusch said: “The privacy and security of our customers is of the utmost importance to us and we have carried out extensive testing, and incorporated advanced security features similar to those found in internet banking.”

For things that need greater security – like creating a beneficiary – an additional One Time Password will be sent to the customer’s phone.