Software Firm Seeks Tablet Banking Users, Doesn’t Find Many

Malauzai Software, an Austin, Texas-based provider of mobile and internet solutions for financial institutions, found that smart tablets used for banking are almost nonexistent, but those that are used are almost exclusively Apple iPads.

The surprising revelation comes from Malauzai’s March 2018 Monkey Insights. The research highlights key trends in internet and mobile banking usage based on February’s data for 400-plus credit unions and banks covering 17.3 million logins from 905,000 active internet and mobile banking users.

The March 2018 report focused on tablet usage, 99.9% iPad. Android tablets, while they undoubtedly exist, are almost non-existent in terms of actual digital banking usage.

Robb Gaynor, chief product officer of Malauzai, analyzed the company’s data to ascertain the trends financial institutions might find beneficial and interesting. “I was surprised that tablet usage is really so low; however, this is not a new trend in the digital world. It is also a relatively small percent of individuals who only use a tablet and no other device. This group is exclusive to what we refer to as large format users, and that includes desktop internet banking. Earlier this week, Apple announced a brand-new iPad at its Chicago event; it will be the new 9.7-inch iPad as Apple found that was the most popular size. It will be interesting to see if this new iPad bolsters digital activity. I guess only time will tell.”

The report, which focused on people who have logged in using their iPad at least once a month for the past year, also revealed:

• A small 1.7% of active digital users use a tablet. “Wow, tablet usage is low, and this is not a new trend as this has been the state of the digital world for some time,” the report stated. The number was higher for banks (2.6%) but inconclusive as to why credit unions lag in iPad usage (1.2% on average) “Maybe it is the fact that they service accounts with lower balances, but clearly CUs have less tablet users.”
• Nineteen percent of iPad users are iPad only. “Yes, 19% of tablets users do not use another device.” These people are exclusive to the large format, and that includes desktop internet banking. These are avid iPad users. Overall, this represents about 0.4% of all active digital users. “Very small. This is possible because of digital feature parity. An iPad user has access to every feature they would see on other devices like legacy internet and smartphones. A financial institution must have functional parity to get these results.”
• Sixty percent of iPad Users also use iPhones. “Maybe the bigger story is that 16% of iPad users are also using an Android Smartphone. But yes, as you would expect, 60% iPad users are using iPhones” And 35% also come in via legacy internet banking on the desktop. “A person’s choice of tablet does not necessarily dictate their choice of smartphone. Android Smartphone users do NOT automatically jump to Android tablets, as a high percentage choose an iPad.” Twenty percent 20% of the Android-iPad crossover community also use iOS devices. “So, in other words, they use 3 devices. 20% of Android users who choose tablets also use an iPhone, WEIRD!”
• iPad money movements 250% higher. “As we have discussed before, large format equals higher values when people transfer money, 250% higher in the case of the iPad.” iPad leads mobile check deposit averages of all devices ($950 average deposit) and is second for internal transfers. When looking at Picture Pay and Billpay, tablets are about the same as other devices, no material difference. “But clearly, people like using large format tablets to move money, they are more comfortable, and transfer substantially higher values of cash.”
• iPad Usage the same. Tablet users do the same stuff as digital users on other devices. The top tasks for iPad users: view balances, see transaction history, transfer money, and make deposits. Those top tasks are the same across other digital access points, mobile and legacy Internet Banking.