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Kiwibank Uses iPhone Launch to Spark Interest in Mobile Banking

By Jim Bruene on July 12, 2008 9:46 AM

image Kiwibank has one of the most eye-catching homepage designs in the world.  Who can resist a lime green Smart Car with four monstrous speakers strapped to the roof?

As I was obsessing about iPhone apps this week (see note 1), I ran across Kiwibank's landing page for iPhone banking (see second screenshot below). Now that the iPhone has gone global, we'll see if more banks leverage the iPhone hype, something that didn't really happen in the United States so much. According to CNet Australia, ANZ is building an iPhone-specific interface, but a search of the ANZ website found nothing.

Kiwibank's homepage iPhone promo, one of three rotating in the lower right, leads to the not-so-exciting landing page. Still, when you are riding the hype, you don't necessarily have to put that much effort into your own work (see note 2), just grab a hold of Apple's coattails and hang on tight.

Kiwibank homepage featuring iPhone promo (11 July 2008)

Kiwi Bank hompage with iPhone banking ad (11 July 2008)

Kiwi Bank iPhone banking landing page (11 July 2008)

image

Notes:
1. Yesterday, I promised it was my last iPhone post for a while, but I couldn't resist one more. Consider it a Saturday bonus post.

2. Case-in-point, the BofA non-app app being dissed by the vast majority of early-early-adopter reviewers at the Apple App Store (see yesterday's post).

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I new that this time around was going to be more of the same. Huge line, no service, no inventory, horrible customer service, etc...AT&T couldn't get it right the first time, what makes you think they would get it right the second time around ? I think if you never had an iPhone maybe go through the trouble, but if you already have one, why go through the headache for another one. Makes no sense. Apple always launches news products with very low inventory to create excitement and demand. I did it once with the mini me, and never again. I can wait, if I really want an Apple Anything.

petes2cents.com

It's inspiring to see so many financial institutions latching on to new technology like the iPhone and using it to their advantage.

I don't know what percentage of Kiwibank's customers have iPhones (which could be a point argued as to why they would build an iPhone optimized banking site), but even so, it does give them something to tout over competitors and may be that one thing that will finally push a customer to choose them over a competing bank.

Also, I love their website. It's definitely not an average looking FI website.

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