New IT Solution for Banks

Smart phones and tablet devices now outnumber personal computers 

At the start of 2011, the number of smart phones and tablet devices sold outstripped the number of desktop and portable personal computers. Sales of smart phones and tablets are expected to more than double by 2013. This trend places entirely new demands on how to deliver internet-based services for Norwegian consumers, and many of the solutions currently in use will have to be redesigned. This also affects traditional internet banking. A group of technology specialists at the Norwegian IT company EDB ErgoGroup has been working for some time on developing the next generation of internet banking for mobile phones. The new solution, known as Mobilbank 2, has been developed to anticipate the way that that EDB ErgoGroup expects customers to use their handheld devices looking 2-3 years ahead. The company's work anticipates the rapid spread of handheld devices. "Development work in this area is no longer driven by traditional internet banking. We now think of mobile banking first rather than the other way round", explains Ann Merethe Lysø Sommerseth.

The new solution uses graphic elements and visualisation to give banking customers an entirely new experience of mobile banking. EDB ErgoGroup has chosen to turn its back on the most widespread approach to development in this area over recent years, which has involved adapting "native apps" for handheld devices. It has instead developed Mobilbank 2 as a web application based on web technology using HTML5. This makes it possible to develop a single solution for all types of mobile phone. It has also made it possible to develop an entirely new user interface.

"We think that future trends will increasingly favour web applications. Using web applications means that the entire value chain, from customer and supplier through to developer, no longer needs to deal with a range of different applications and adaptations depending on which type of telephone and operating system is used. With web applications, the lead time from the start of development to delivery of a new product is much shorter, and the entire development process is more cost effective", explains Ann Merethe Lysø Sommerseth.

"When touch phones such as the iPhone and Android came onto the market, they changed the way we use our mobile phones. This means that banks also need to respond to the new ways these devices are used. We have paid a lot of attention to the user experience in our development work", says Ann Merethe Lysø Sommerseth. She goes on to explain that EDB ErgoGroup has now developed a solution that is at the leading edge in terms of interactive design. This technology has so far typically been used for entertainment applications, but it is also perfect for banking services.