Banking in the Palm of Your Hand

While many banks are either sitting on the mobile banking sidelines or offering mobile versions of their online banking website, several banks are offering innovative products and services that take advantage of the inherent functionality of iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices. Here’s a sampling:

• Chase QuickDeposit allows customers to make deposits remotely by taking a photo of the front and back of a check with their iPhone or Android devices. Chase has also expanded their Person-to-Person QuickPay email payment service to mobile devices.
   
• Citibank was one of the first major banks to offer mobile banking in Spanish. As a demographic, Hispanics are some of the most active users of the mobile Web, yet tend to be wary of financial institutions, reports Pew Research. Citi Mobile en Español seeks to break down cultural barriers and reach this market on their own terms.
   
• The first bank to offer mobile remote deposit capture, USAA continues to release new mobile app features such as roadside assistance viewing and real-time stock quotes.
   
• Wells Fargo offers CEO Mobile for corporate customers to initiate, approve and reject wire transfers and perform other treasury functions.
   
• Leveraging GPS technology, TD Bank customers enter their current location and receive directions to branches and ATMs on their mobile device.
   
• U.S. Bank is testing near field communications for contactless payments, enabling customers to pay merchants by placing their phone in front of a Visa payWave terminal.