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AIB launches phone-friendly banking site, with apps to come

AIB HAS LAUNCHED a mobile-friendly version of its internet banking site to cater for smartphone users, and is to launch iPhone and Android apps for users in the coming weeks, the bank has said.

The new mobile banking service will cater to the bank’s 650,000 customers who have already signed up to its internet banking platform.

The bank said the development of the mobile site had been prompted by a significant growth in the number of users accessing its internet banking service through smartphone browsers.

The mobile service houses many of the main features from its ‘desktop’ equivalent, such as the ability to transfer cash between accounts and pay utility bills.

“Customers are demanding that all service providers evolve with this trend to provide their services in a way that is increasingly convenient to them. Banks are no different,” AIB’s Robert Mulhall said.

“We know that our customers are already using their smartphones to access Internet banking while on the move. This development seeks to meet the needs of our customers now and give them the convenience of banking at a time that suits them.”

The site can be accessed at m.aib.ie or via aib.ie/mobilebanking.

The launch of the mobile site has coincided with the launch of the bank’s Twitter account, @AIBInternetBank.

Ulster Bank already offers smartphone apps for online banking, while Bank of Ireland has a banking app for Nokia’s Ovi platform.

A statement from the bank said its mobile site and smartphone apps had been developed in-house.

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Comments (27 Comments)

  • Danny D 22/09/11 #
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    Ulster Bank have a great iPhone app for about a year now… Though I suppose it’s nice that irish banks finally follow.

    Reply
  • Jamie Murphy 22/09/11 #
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    Took long enough. Now how about debit visa cards and the ability to export banking history to csv.

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  • Cpm 22/09/11 #
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    What’s the point launching native apps in the future when they already have a web app?

    Reply
    • Cpm 22/09/11 #
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      to the thumbs down – that’s a question, not a statement – what is the benefit of a native app over a web app – care to enlighten me, instead of giving me thumbs down.

    • John Needham 22/09/11 #
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      From a non-user perspective people are more likely to use an app than a web site, although with a service like this that may not be so extreme. On the user side you can usually make a native app faster and “better”, I prefer web-apps myself tho.

    • Cpm 22/09/11 #
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      Do you have any stats to show that users prefer a native app?

      A web app with no chrome, and a desktop ‘icon’ offers the same user experience and pretty much all of the same functionality as a native app, plus the bonus is you only have to develop one app and you’re done. No need to create separate iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows 7 apps.

      Amazon, The New York Times (I think) and Playboy are some of bigger names focusing on web over native apps (thanks to Apple’s subscription 30% fee).

      It seems a complete waste of the bank’s money. Won’t be the first time I suppose.

    • Cpm 22/09/11 #
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      Sorry ‘desktop’ should have been in quotes – not ‘icon’

    • Donal McCarthy 22/09/11 #
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      Cpm – native apps give a better user experience (e.g. notifications, control over what is displayed).

      They also ensure that the user experience is consistent and not browser-dependent.

      I would imagine that the AIB app will also being using NFC (whenever it becomes available).

  • Eric Chubb 22/09/11 #
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    Not before time either – mind you if I put in the URL for the vanilla AIB website on my phone it doesn’t redirect me to the mobile site which is a bit naff, surely they can do user-agent detection and redirect smartphone users automatically?

    Reply
  • Aydo 22/09/11 #
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    Yep, access to your bank via a phone…
    Alarm bells are ringing…

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  • Joanne 22/09/11 #
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    NIB launched their one a couple of weeks ago. Very secure and quicker to use than going on line.

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    • Aydo 23/09/11 #
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      Very secure until your phone is robbed

    • Joanne 23/09/11 #
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      Aydo – even if the phone was robbed the app is useless to the thieves as I have to log on and log off with the app the same way I do when using the website. I am not permanently logged on via the app.

  • Oskar Fritsche 22/09/11 #
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    Be very careful of the hidden charges.

    Reply
  • Thomas Prior 22/09/11 #
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    Handy to have. I’ll certainly use it. But I see it has only two security steps to log in instead of the three on the main website.

    It’s a little dodgy because the first step is a six digit number issued on a card that you retain with other contact numbers on it and the second step is a PIN. The six digit number could be easily discovered leaving only the PIN to protect one’s millions.

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  • Julian King 22/09/11 #
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    Do bank of Ireland have one?

    Reply
  • Donny Byrne 22/09/11 #
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    Finally!! Hurry up with the app and all is grand!! And d visa debit cards too!!

    Reply
  • Simon Power 22/09/11 #
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    I will give Bank of Ireland 6 months to get a phone App together. In the absence of it, I am changing over to Ulster Bank. 2011, it’s not unreasonable!

    Reply
  • JohnMRyan 22/09/11 #
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    If your code starts with a zero. It won’t work. Seems to reformat the number.

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  • damian 22/09/11 #
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    Just need a BOI one now!!!

    Reply
  • Conor Lalor 22/09/11 #
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    Ulster Bank would want to hurry up with an Android app.

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  • Aaron Hastings 23/09/11 #
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    Good stuff. I’ll definitely find a use for this!

    Reply
  • Derek Organ 25/10/11 #
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    AIB have by far and away the best web interface and were again smart enough to realize you build a mobile web app not an application so all smart phones can view it.

    Reply

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