Wearable Banking: How Smart is Your Watch?

At The Lab, the name of the game is bringing you the latest and greatest in innovative banking technology. Sticking strong to this ethos, we’d like to present to you our latest and greatest tech venture in wearable banking, our concept SmartWatch App.

Whatever side of the ‘Apple Vs. Android’ fence you sit on, SmartWatch technology is a new tech revolution everyone can get involved in. Android Smartwatches have been around for a while and we are eagerly awaiting the launch of the new Apple Watch, now confirmed by Apple CEO Tim Cook to be coming in April.

Andy O’Sullivan, from AIB’s Digital Innovation team, who developed the app said: “We reckon wearable technology is going to be big over the next 12 months. We developed this concept app to investigate whether wearable technology can be useful, convenient or fun for our customers and their banking needs. The watch may be small but the potential for our customers is big.”

Our prototype app currently has 3 features:

1. Quick Balance: view the balance of your nominated account in graphic format

2. ATM Locator: find your nearest AIB ATM no matter where you are

3. Call AIB: one-touch sync to your phone dials the AIB Help Centre.

At The Lab, customers can interact with the watch and see these functions in action upon request. From this, the team are gathering feedback which will be incorporated into the first stages of the app’s development. By really listening to our customers here we are allowing them to shape the future enhancements to our mobile banking technology that they really want and need.

Megan Kelly, coordinator of The Lab innovations and emerging technology said “Introducing the SmartWatch app at this early stage will help us to understand customers’ views of wearable technology. Gaining customer feedback will be invaluable to ensure that AIB will be ahead of the curve and ready to give customers the experience they want as wearable technology matures and sales increase, and in maintaining our position as a leader in technology within the financial services industry.”

For all this and much more in the area of innovative banking technologies, call into The Lab, Level 1, Dundrum Town Centre today and talk to our team about testing the SmartWatch App. You can also connect with The Lab on Facebook and Twitter.