Fingerprint technology is the next step for Suncorp Bank, with mobile seen as a crucial element of its overall digital banking transformation.

Suncorp Bank has today added a fingerprint login enhancement to its mobile banking app, aimed at making the digital banking experience “quicker, easier and more secure”.

Suncorp Bank Digital Banking Manager Simon Clarke said that fingerprint identification is the next step in Suncorp Bank’s application roadmap, with the company looking to implement the “latest platform innovations available” to help improve their overall mobile user experience (UX).

“Customer ease and simplicity is core to Suncorp Bank developing online experiences. After the successful release of our innovative BillSplitter feature, we went straight into UX design for Fingerprint Login,” Clarke said.

“We are in a lucky position to have a small, but very nimble app development team at Suncorp Bank, who were able to design, build, user test, refine and submit Fingerprint Login into the App Store in just eight weeks.”

Planning for the new Fingerprint Login feature first began in January this year as a response to customer requests for quicker access to account balances and mobile banking services.

With the feature drawing on Apple’s biometric security capabilities, Clarke identified biometric technology as a “streamlined process” for users to access their mobile banking on the go – with the app being rolled out to over 9 million customers with compatible iPhone and iPad devices.

 “40 per cent of our iOS customers already have a fingerprint ready device and are looking for more streamlined security options to manage their money on the go,” he said.

“One of our current focuses is to transition the role of our mobile app from not only a convenient transactional tool but also a true, real-time banking communications extension for our customers. We believe Fingerprint Login will help bridge the gap between security and ease for these customers.”

Suncorp Bank Mobile Banking App from Suncorp Bank on Vimeo.

Suncorp Bank has launched six mobile app releases in this year alone, including Australia’s first BillSplitter feature in their banking app.

Clarke reinforced Suncorp Bank’s commitment to delivering innovative mobile and digital solutions, as the bank looks to build an optimised core banking platform by 2017.

“We have seen a 73 per cent increase in mobile banking activity over the past 12 months, with more than 90 million self-service transactions performed via our mobile app,” he said.

“We believe in information availability beyond just transactions. [Having it ready] when the customer wants it, in the channel of their choice, is one of the many advantages of our Ignite platform to allow our customers to get ahead.”