Santander releases new Android and Kindle mobile banking apps

Santander takes on competitive mobile banking space launching new Android and Kindle Fire consumer banking apps and updates iPhone / iPad apps

 
Spanish-owned retail and commercial bank Santander has unveiled its new Android and Kindle mobile banking applications whilst updating its Apple iPad and iPhone apps.

The bank, wholly owned by Banco Santander, is striving to make banking more accessible to its customers whilst they are on the go.  The apps are free to Santander personal banking customers from Amazon, Apple App Store (which were available from January 2012) and on Android from Google Play.   Customers have to enrol with Santander?s online banking using their desktop or laptop before they will get access to the mobile apps.

The move comes as other UK banks continue to develop and release mobile banking apps that try to bridge the gap between efficiency and convenience whilst maintaining a high level of security.

"We want to make banking with Santander as easy and convenient as possible for our customers, wherever they are in the world, and we've spent considerable time developing our mobile banking service and apps for Android and iPhone and iPad with this in mind," explains Adrian Homer, head of mobile at Santander.

The mobile apps allows consumers to view up to two years transaction history and build a seven-year digital library of statements and be able to transfer money between Santander accounts.  It also enables customers to view and set up account alerts, make payments to existing payees, amend and cancel payments.  

It seems increasingly common that banks are trying to build hooks into digital environments, including apps, to attract and retain customers. Homer alludes to this, ?Customers will be able to do almost as much on their mobile phone as they can with our full online banking service with the flexibility of using their smartphone, wherever they are.?  

The Santander app possesses other features that appear to strive for this goal such as allowing customers to text or email a copy of transactions, spilt a bill between friends and send a copy of a transaction to friends to ask them for the contribution.  
However, customers are advised that the apps are not to be used for consumers to make important financial decisions and to review is online banking security page.



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