Online bank First Direct has launched a new smartphone app that allows consumers to transfer money using an app for the first time. The app, which is available for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch, is the first properly transactional app for mobile banking in the UK, and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store.
It lets customers of First Direct bank to check their balances and access their last 20 account transactions, as well as make payments and transfer money between accounts.
Although the other high street banks such as RBS, Natwest and Ulster Bank do offer dedicated iPhone applications, they only provide a simple type of online banking, such as allowing the user to check their account balance and receive a mini-statement.
Matt Colebrook, chief executive at First Direct, commented "This is about making the banking experience simpler and quicker, allowing our iPhone enabled customers to access key features of our internet banking ; whenever they want and wherever they want."
He added "The iPhone App is as a huge step forward, but it's just the beginning of our ambitions for mobile banking. Our plans for 2011 are to make our 'on the go' mobile service available on other smartphone devices."






