In a U.K. industry first, two major banks in the United Kingdom are finally adding Touch ID identification to their iOS apps.
RBS and NatWest customers must activate the feature using their existing security information, but can use Touch ID after that. As with the Touch ID login on iPhone, users who get three failed login attempts to their banking services will have to re-enter their passcodes.
While certain in-app features — mainly related to withdrawing money — will require extra verification, it’s a further example of just how widespread Touch ID adoption is, less than eighteen months after being introduced.
Don’t worry, though: if you’re concerned about possible security issues, the feature is entirely optional.
According to the two Brit banks, a total of 880,000 customers use iOS banking on the Touch ID-equipped iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 Plus. The banks claim that close to 50% of their combined 15 million person customer base uses online banking, and 3 million access their accounts using a smartphone or tablet app.
Although this is a new service in the U.K., in the United States, American Express, Discover and U.S. Bank already take advantage of Apple’s fingerprint recognition service, alongside a number of different financial planning tools such as Simple.
Source: BBC
