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HSBC app will let you manage accounts from multiple banks
HSBC is readying a mobile app that will allow customers to manage multiple accounts from different banks. "HSBC Beta" will support 21 money-keepers at launch, including Santander, Lloyds and Barclays, so users can review their current account, loans, mortgages and savings simultaneously. It's the first time a major UK bank has offered such a service. In August 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority declared that all banks would need to adopt "Open Banking" by early 2018, allowing this sort of functionality. Clearly, it's made a difference, though HSBC is keen to stress that it was working on the technology before the ruling.
HSBC trialling app that automates your savings
While all the major banks have pretty good online facilities, there's a whole breed of nimble startups using mobile apps and bank account data to create new, more personalised money management services. Hoping to learn some new tricks, HSBC announced today it has partnered with one of these fintech pups, Pariti, to launch a standalone iOS app geared towards "micro-savings." The SmartSave app, which you can link to any bank account HSBC or otherwise, will automatically transfer money into savings or investments accounts based on user-defined rules.
HSBC's 'selfie verification' helps customers open a bank account
In a bid to replace the password, banks have jumped about the biometric bandwagon and are experimenting with new ways to authenticate their UK customers. Between them, HSBC and Barclays have already trialled fingerprints and used Voice IDs over the telephone, but HSBC now wants to let business customers use "selfie verification" to pass identity checks for new accounts via its new smartphone app.
HSBC is rolling out biometric banking to 15 million customers
HSBC isn't the first to introduce biometric banking in the UK, but its rollout is set to become the biggest. The financial giant today announced plans to introduce voice-recognition technology for telephone banking, allowing more than 15 million customers to do away with memorable dates and places.
HSBC and First Direct now support Apple Pay in the UK
Apple Pay's UK launch was spoiled earlier this month by lacklustre support from some of the nation's most popular banks. HSBC and First Direct were among the notable omissions, but today they're stepping up and giving customers the option to link their debit and credit cards. That means you can start using your iPhone or Apple Watch for contactless payments in Starbucks, Nando's and the London Underground, as well as inside apps like Domino's and Just Eat. Lloyds, meanwhile, has promised to support Apple Pay this autumn, but we're still waiting on dates from Barclays, Halifax, M&S, TSB and Bank of Scotland.
How many iPhones would fill the Albert Hall? HSBC may find out
If you're the CIO for the ANZAC division of a big bank -- I mean, a really big, global bank -- and you happen to let slip to a ZDnet reporter that your company is considering the iPhone as a possible BlackBerry replacement across the board... well, 200,000 iPhones is enough to get everyone's attention, even though this is about as far from an actual commitment to purchase as I am from New Zealand right now (17 time zones or so).ZDnet.com.au is reporting that Brenton Hush, the chief information officer for HSBC in Australia and New Zealand, confirms that the bank is "reviewing iPhones from a HSBC group perspective.... I mean, globally." Even if a decision whether to move off the BlackBerry platform and onto the iPhone for mobile users is months or years away, the fact that the conversation is taking place on a more than cursory level is very good news for Apple's efforts to woo the enterprise with Exchange integration on the phone. Now, about that MobileMe situation...[via Techmeme]
Banking and insurance adverts show gamer demo growing up
Our ever vigilant tipsters on the lookout for GTA IV news let us know about the latest commercial for HSBC bank. The GTA inspired advertisement is the latest in HSBC's campaign touting their understanding of customers locally, even though they are global mega-bank. We doubt the commercial is showing footage from GTA IV, but it is worth noting that this is the latest in a string of advertisements speaking to the aging gamer demographic, notice how the dad is playing the game. However, unlike the ad for Coca-Cola, these commercials are for insurance and banking -- that ain't kids stuff.Although the Katamari Damacy Traveler's Insurance ad allegedly was not inspired by the video game, any gamer who saw the commercial immediately linked the two things together. Then again, the same could be said about the very similar AIDS-based commercial. Most automotive commercials in prime-time heavily use game-inspired marketing now, particularly Toyota's Scion division. As "adult" services begin to gear their marketing toward the new generation, who knows what video game inspired advertisements we'll see next. But so help us, if we see Ensure or AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) based ads we'll find a dark corner to cry in.[Thanks Icates, no it's not GTA IV]
