Buoyed by the fast uptake of smartphones and tablets in the country, First National Bank Ltd. says it has become the first financial institution in South Africa to offer a mobile-banking application to its customers.
The banking app is available for free download on Apple Inc., Google Inc. Android and Research in Motion Ltd. BlackBerry devices, including smartphones and tablets, according to a July 20 press release.
However, tablet users will have a more pixilated view because the app is designed for phones, a bank spokesperson tells PaymentsSource.
To use the mobile app, users must be registered mobile and online-banking customers of the bank, the spokesperson says. Users will be able to check balances, transfer funds, make bill and card payments, and get transaction details, he says.
The free app also contains a location feature, based on GPS technology, to enable users to find directions to the nearest First National branch or ATM or to ATMs of other nearby banks, according to the spokesperson.
Another version of the mobile-banking app for the Symbian platform, used on most Nokia phones, will be released by the end of September, he adds.
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