Concern over banking app

A recent letter from ANZ about an electronic phone banking update is concerning a Timaru customer.

The update of the bank’s latest version of goMoney requires the download of a new app.

The customer, a 50-year-old educator, said when she received the letter last week she thought she would have to buy a new iPhone. As it turns out she doesn’t have to but she was concerned older users may be confused like she was initially.

‘‘It is convenient banking on the iphone.

‘‘I’ve been doing it for about a year so it’s a new thing for me.’’

Her phone is an iPhone4.

ANZ spokesman Stefan Herrick said most iPhones would be capable of downloading the new app unless they were really old. The update required the Apple iOS7 or Android 4.0 operating system .

‘‘Older phones often aren’t powerful enough to use the latest operating system updates. For example, devices older than iPhone4 (released 2010) can’t be updated to the iOS7 operating system.

‘‘Likewise, some older Android phones are unable to run the latest Android operating system updates.’’

ANZ updated goMoney and Internet banking about every two months to ensure they were easy to use and secure whereas the mini- mum operating system requirements were changed every couple of years.

The reason was it was difficult making an app work properly across a broad range of operating system versions, he said.

‘‘GoMoney is free to install, but fees and charges relating to specific account types might apply when transacting on those accounts within the app.

‘‘If a customer is unable to load the latest version of goMoney due to the age of their phone, they can continue to do their banking through ANZ Internet Banking or ANZ Phone banking.’’

Many of the improvements the bank made was through feedback and suggestions from customers, Herrick said.