Apple Drives the Innovation
In perhaps the most ridiculous show of absurdity ever in banking, American Banker named Ken Lewis, then the CEO of Bank of America, Banker of the Year for 2008. That the Banker even handed out a Banker of the Year award in 2008 at all in the wake of the credit crisis is equally as absurd.
However, if the Banker would name Steve Jobs the 2010 Banker* of the Year (an * since he is not actually a banker), I’d be in the front row at that awards dinner applauding. More than anyone over the last 12 months, Jobs has pushed — and continues to push — banking innovation forward.
Of course, credit the iPhone and iPad. Both are facilitating advancement in mobile banking like nothing else in the history of technology. Banks of one or two branches are releasing iPhone apps. New banking startups with little more than a venture capitalist’s dollar and a dream are pounding out iPad applications with abandon. And you’ve got to pat Steve Jobs on the back for it.
In the last 24 hours alone, there have been developments in the iPhone/iPad banking sphere. First, National Australia Bank’s hip startup, UBank, disclosed via Twitter yesterday that it would soon relaunch its website to be iPhone compliant. Second, Kapitall, a startup online investing venture, released a beta of its iPad app, with a promise to make the final version of the app available by summer’s end. (Go to www.kapitall.com via the iPad browser to check it out.)
As Kapitall put it, the iPad allows for “investing at your fingertips — literally.” I’d add to that: the iPad allows for doing a lot in financial services by fingertip. (I know, it’s not as catchy as Kapitall’s line.) All this is greatly exciting, because it is as if the Pandora’s Box on mobile banking apps has been opened. Thanks, Steve!
Please login to join discussion
