Push towards banking apps

Zanderman

Yorkie006 said:

Just to add my opinion to this. I personally don't use banking apps. Not because I'm not tech savvy or because I don't trust them, simply because my smartphone runs an older version of Android. As most (or all?) mobile banking apps require a relatively new OS, I am unable to install said apps. I am not replacing a perfectly good phone just so I can install an app or two. I understand why banking apps won't work on older devices (they're a security risk etc) but at the same time, it is not reasonable to expect all would-be customers to have a modern smart phone. Banks need to have a process in place so all customers can access all banking services without a smart phone.

Bridlington1 said:

Yorkie006 said:

Just to add my opinion to this. I personally don't use banking apps. Not because I'm not tech savvy or because I don't trust them, simply because my smartphone runs an older version of Android. As most (or all?) mobile banking apps require a relatively new OS, I am unable to install said apps. I am not replacing a perfectly good phone just so I can install an app or two. I understand why banking apps won't work on older devices (they're a security risk etc) but at the same time, it is not reasonable to expect all would-be customers to have a modern smart phone. Banks need to have a process in place so all customers can access all banking services without a smart phone.

I quite agree. The issue I've found with the apps is that my phone simply doesn't have enough storage space for all of them as I use that many different banks. Barring a QR code scanner the only apps I've installed are banking ones and I've now got to the point where I'm having to uninstall apps I don't use to make way for new ones (Nationwide went the other week, Saffron BS went a few months ago, as did Cambridge BS). 

My current smartphone cost me about £30 in March 2022, it does what I need it to do and it can get most of the banking apps on it so I have no intention of getting a new one until this one stops working/goes missing. However if the banks wish to provide me with a new smartphone that's compatible with their apps for free then I would consider replacing my current phone.

Agree with all this.  I have no problem with using apps.  Though I still use website banking most of the time.

What I do have a problem with is apps needing ever newer models of smartphone.  My current one will run most but not all banking apps.  It's only 3 years old, but already can't run some.

I run, for different people in 2 locations, five PCs, some over 10 years old now, and I can access all banks (apart from the app only ones), with no trouble on all of those, and I suspect I will be able to continue to do so for many years to come, albeit increasingly with an app needed to authorise a transaction.  Those PCs will need replacing in due course, especially if we want Win11 (though I might switch some over to Linux), but their replacements will last 10+ years too.

But not smartphones. As the apps increasingly needing a newer model of phone I'll need to keep on upgrading mine, and Mrs Z-man's, phones. Just for banking access. And those phones may be costly. That annoys me.  To be fair it is, arguably, not (not directly anyway) the banks' fault. They're just making their apps as secure as possible so make them only useable with the latest smartphone systems. But it does mean that customers will be forced to upgrade phones more often than, otherwise, they would need to, merely to access banking. It is an issue that doesn't seem to be being addressed. 

Rob5342

Bridlington1 said:

Yorkie006 said:

Just to add my opinion to this. I personally don't use banking apps. Not because I'm not tech savvy or because I don't trust them, simply because my smartphone runs an older version of Android. As most (or all?) mobile banking apps require a relatively new OS, I am unable to install said apps. I am not replacing a perfectly good phone just so I can install an app or two. I understand why banking apps won't work on older devices (they're a security risk etc) but at the same time, it is not reasonable to expect all would-be customers to have a modern smart phone. Banks need to have a process in place so all customers can access all banking services without a smart phone.

My current smartphone cost me about £30 in March 2022, it does what I need it to

It doesn't if you can't install the apps you want. It's not down to banks to provide people with up to date phones, just as it's not down to the government to provide you with free tyres when yours go below the legal limit.

FFHillbilly

subjecttocontract said:

I dont have one and have no intention of getting one. Im certainly not getting one because a bank expects me to use an 'app'........I don't really know what an app is, I don't feel I need to know.

with an attitude like this you will likely be denying yourself more and more services, this is the way the world is going. you probably won't be able to book a GP appointment without an app soon

It really isn't that hard to manage if you just put a bit of effort in

55ryan

FFHillbilly said:

subjecttocontract said:

I dont have one and have no intention of getting one. Im certainly not getting one because a bank expects me to use an 'app'........I don't really know what an app is, I don't feel I need to know.

with an attitude like this you will likely be denying yourself more and more services, this is the way the world is going. you probably won't be able to book a GP appointment without an app soon

It really isn't that hard to manage if you just put a bit of effort in

Our local Practice is doing just that. Website/App. Phone reserved for vulnerable only not those who refuse to move with the times. 

JReacher1

It’s obviously peoples choice whether or not to get a smart phone or use apps but as the years go by if you don’t embrace this then are going to find out there are more and more things you will be able to do. It will not be cost affective for companies to cater for a small number of legacy customers who would prefer not to embrace newer technology so they’ll stop providing services to these customers. 

55ryan

The way I see it in the future there will be banking hubs like passport offices scattered around the country. Each hub deals with most banks all at once. 

As the decades go past the argument 'I won't use/refuse to use' won't hold water. There will always be those that won't use apps, not because they are disabled or vulnerable, but simply they refuse. Banks won't be keeping branches open for the refusers who eventually would have lived through multiple generations with the internet in place. 

I was speaking to a neighbour the other day, our local newsagent has stopped newspaper deliveries as few bother now. He was moaning that he won't use the internet to look at newspaper and it is an outrage etc etc. He is only late 30's.  There will always be one. He is capable of walking there. 

I'm not unsympathetic, but things change, times change.  Companies won't keep services going just to satisfy the few. They will help those in need just not those that  simply complain.  

Band7

Zanderman said:

     My current one will run most but not all banking apps.  It's only 3 years old, but already can't run some.

Which banking app other than Chase perhaps doesn’t run on your phone? What model is your phone, what OS does it run? How much RAM?

I have 56 financial apps, incl those from all UK current account providers, installed on my 256GB iPhone 12, which I keep on the latest OS level. OK, this phone isn’t quite 3 years old but I can run also all those apps(*) happily on a relatively ancient 6-year old  iPad, again with 256MB, and which I can still keep on the latest OS level.

I like to change my phone to a more current model every 2-3 years - but that’s for reasons other than the banking apps. Battery life is probably a more important reason than anything else because some of my non-banking apps are incredibly battery-intensive.


* not all of them concurrently on iPhone and iPad due to security limitations imposed by some of the apps

AmityNeon

One thing I dislike about completely relying on a smartphone is how easy it is to lose it, or heaven forbid, be a victim of a mugging and have it forcibly stolen from you (which has happened to me). That interim period of being without a phone, losing access to banking (for those that require a device), and the added mental stress of having to make several emergency calls to regain eventual access because banking apps aren’t simply restored to prior functionality like regular apps.

There are mitigative measures you can take of course, such as having a second device that doesn’t leave the home as often (e.g. tablet) or even at all, but that’s an additional cost every few years as they inevitably also become outdated and unsupported, and some banks don’t allow multiple authorised devices. It’s also the reason I still have a landline and why I insist on my mother still having one too (she also has been a victim of crime and lost her mobile in the process).

booneruk

Zanderman said:

I run, for different people in 2 locations, five PCs, some over 10 years old now, and I can access all banks (apart from the app only ones), with no trouble on all of those

I hope all those PCs are on Windows 10 at least, as anything below is no longer supported and will not be getting future security updates - which are essential if you're banking on your PC. Windows 10 will be supported for another few years it seems, but after that your 14+year old PC may become a dangerous thing to bank on if they can't be upgraded to Windows 11.

With banking apps, you are forced to run a relatively up to date, supported and therefore safer device/environment.

Rob5342

JReacher1 said:

It’s obviously peoples choice whether or not to get a smart phone or use apps but as the years go by if you don’t embrace this then are going to find out there are more and more things you will be able to do. It will not be cost affective for companies to cater for a small number of legacy customers who would prefer not to embrace newer technology so they’ll stop providing services to these customers. 

Precisely. Banks are going to support what the majority of people choose, and if you choose not to be with the majority then things will be more difficult for you. It's the same with anything, you are free to buy a VHS machine but it's going to be difficult to connect it to your tv and you wont be able to get any recennt releases.

Phones don't have to be that up to date - an old iPhone XR will run the Natiowide and Monzo apps quite happily.