Citibank creates Android tablet app exclusively for Kindle Fire
Citibank has released a new banking app for tablets, but chose to support only Apple's iPad and the Amazon Kindle Fire with an "exclusive launch for Amazon Appstore for Android," a blow to Google's own efforts to deliver a modern Android tablet experience.
The "Citi Tablet Apps" provide secure access to browse and analyze account activity, pay bills and transfer money between accounts, essentially acting as a specialized website for mobile device users. But while Citibank offers smartphone apps for both iOS and Android, its larger format tablet apps are only optimized for iPad, and now the Kindle Fire.
Users of tablets running Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb or later would only be able to access the Android 2.x smartphone version of the app in a stretched configuration, taking no advantage of the features in last year's Android 3.0 Honeycomb or 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich releases.
Google initially expected that Android 3.0 Honeycomb would gobble up a third of the iPad's market in 2011, but by the end of the year its own tablet efforts were not failing to gain traction, but actively losing mindshare and market share to Amazon's renegade use of Android 2.x to power its cheap, simple Kindle Fire.
Apple's chief executive Tim Cook picked at the very limited selection of tablet apps for Android at the release of the new iPad, noting that what passed for a "tablet app" on Android was often just a stretched version of smartphone apps that in many cases took very poor advantage of the larger screen real estate.
Citibank's Kindle Fire app only works in one orientation, and users reviewing the app have complained about it being sluggish and not working with external account transfers as the bank's general banking website allows.
The app also depicts how difficult it is to reduce an optimized iPad app down to a 7 inch experience, even when copying the same overall user interface conventions and buttons of iOS.
Described by Forrester analyst Peter Wannemacher as "One of the strongest tablet offerings we've seen," Citibank's app for iPad includes personal financial management (PFM) tools for credit card users as well as displaying deposited check images, part of an effort Citibank's managing director of Internet and mobile banking Tracey Weber described in saying "we want to fundamentally rethink customer interactions."
The "Citi Tablet Apps" provide secure access to browse and analyze account activity, pay bills and transfer money between accounts, essentially acting as a specialized website for mobile device users. But while Citibank offers smartphone apps for both iOS and Android, its larger format tablet apps are only optimized for iPad, and now the Kindle Fire.
Users of tablets running Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb or later would only be able to access the Android 2.x smartphone version of the app in a stretched configuration, taking no advantage of the features in last year's Android 3.0 Honeycomb or 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich releases.
Google initially expected that Android 3.0 Honeycomb would gobble up a third of the iPad's market in 2011, but by the end of the year its own tablet efforts were not failing to gain traction, but actively losing mindshare and market share to Amazon's renegade use of Android 2.x to power its cheap, simple Kindle Fire.
Apple's chief executive Tim Cook picked at the very limited selection of tablet apps for Android at the release of the new iPad, noting that what passed for a "tablet app" on Android was often just a stretched version of smartphone apps that in many cases took very poor advantage of the larger screen real estate.
Citibank's Kindle Fire app only works in one orientation, and users reviewing the app have complained about it being sluggish and not working with external account transfers as the bank's general banking website allows.
The app also depicts how difficult it is to reduce an optimized iPad app down to a 7 inch experience, even when copying the same overall user interface conventions and buttons of iOS.
Described by Forrester analyst Peter Wannemacher as "One of the strongest tablet offerings we've seen," Citibank's app for iPad includes personal financial management (PFM) tools for credit card users as well as displaying deposited check images, part of an effort Citibank's managing director of Internet and mobile banking Tracey Weber described in saying "we want to fundamentally rethink customer interactions."
Comments
FRAGMENTATION
That's how the Ice Cream Sandwich crumbles.
Google spawned a demon that has escaped the bottle and is fragmenting into things Larry Page can't control or make ad money off of.
As a side note, from the above article I noticed that the owner of the iPad had more money in their account than the Fire owner. Shows what happens when your tablet is designed to be a portal into your pocket.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Google initially expected that Android 3.0 Honeycomb would gobble up a third of the iPad's market in 2011, but by the end of the year its own tablet efforts were not failing to gain traction, but actively losing mindshare and market share to Amazon's renegade use of Android 2.x to power its cheap, simple Kindle Fire.
Say what?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Macky the Macky
That's how the Ice Cream Sandwich crumbles.
Google spawned a demon that has escaped the bottle and is fragmenting into things Larry Page can't control or make ad money off of.
As a side note, from the above article I noticed that the owner of the iPad had more money in their account than the Fire owner. Shows what happens when your tablet is designed to be a portal into your pocket.
And how is there a minimum credit card payment of $75 when the outstanding balbnce is only $20?
$3500 at the Gym...wow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freshmaker
$3500 at the Gym...wow.
And he hardly eats! Only $42 for groceries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz
And how is there a minimum credit card payment of $75 when the outstanding balbnce is only $20?
$20 outstanding balance, plus $55 interest, late payment and other charges.
How do everyone miss $1500 for "entertainment?" H00k3r$ and Coke!
The story is a very bad omen for Android. All I can say is wow! There is probably value in creating an App for Samsung's product line as well though. Frankly, I don't blame Bank of America. Unfortunately for Google I think this will be the first of many.
Bank of America?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacBook Pro
How do everyone miss $1500 for "entertainment?" H00k3r$ and Coke!
You won't get an Eliot Spitzer quality hooker for only $1500, but then you could get several Hugh Grant or Rev. Jimmy Swaggart prostitutes for that amount.
Using the app on other (than the Kindle Fire) Android devices (all of which can use apps from Amazon's appstore) presents no issues whatsoever, nor is there any 'stretching' involved given that ALL properly coded Android apps simply scale to whatever display they're required to run on.
One possible anomaly would be that the selection buttons might be a bit small on the large screen, though still usable, and likely little else.
Just totally wrong information.
It's exclusively for Amazon Appstore, which is not the same thing as Kindle Fire. These writers really need to educate themselves on other platforms.
People can use Amazon Appstore on Android phones and/or tablets. Amazon Appstore is not exclusively for Kindle Fire.
Just basic facts...
Three issues
1. It is Citibank, internationally hated
2. It is Amazon App Store, not Kindle
3, Why the hell are cheques still being promoted for in 2012?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHarder
Talk About Spin/FUD...
Using the app on other (than the Kindle Fire) Android devices (all of which can use apps from Amazon's appstore) presents no issues whatsoever, nor is there any 'stretching' involved given that ALL properly coded Android apps simply scale to whatever display they're required to run on.
One possible anomaly would be that the selection buttons might be a bit small on the large screen, though still usable, and likely little else.
Looking at the picture of the Citibank advert, it clearly states the App is for the iPad or kindle Fire. So yes it is exclusive to the Kindle Fire. If that is not clear enough then you can go to the Amazon Appstore and read all the bitching about how it's only works on the Kindle Fire. The full name of the App is the Citibank® (Kindle Fire Edition) which also gives a clue as to the device it works on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHarder
Talk About Spin/FUD...
Using the app on other (than the Kindle Fire) Android devices (all of which can use apps from Amazon's appstore) presents no issues whatsoever, nor is there any 'stretching' involved given that ALL properly coded Android apps simply scale to whatever display they're required to run on.
One possible anomaly would be that the selection buttons might be a bit small on the large screen, though still usable, and likely little else.
It's not Spin or FUD; it's true. If you actually went to the Amazon store and have a tablet other than a Kindle Fire, it would show incompatible and won't let you download it. That said, you can still download the generic Citibank mobile app but it has that usual pixelated look you get when running iPhone app in 2x mode on the iPad. That said, I wouldn't call Citibank's decision to make a Kindle Fire only fire tablet app a major blow to Google; maybe a minor mosquito bite but if enough devs do the same thing, it's definitely a problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by markbyrn
It's not Spin or FUD; it's true. If you actually went to the Amazon store and have a tablet other than a Kindle Fire, it would show incompatible and won't let you download it. That said, you can still download the generic Citibank mobile app but it has that usual pixelated look you get when running iPhone app in 2x mode on the iPad. That said, I wouldn't call Citibank's decision to make a Kindle Fire only fire tablet app a major blow to Google; maybe a minor mosquito bite but if enough devs do the same thing, it's definitely a problem.
Ha ha, thanks for de-fudding the thread. I agree, this move by Citi is more like a mosquito bite. The thing about a mosquito bite is that the first one is a warning of more to come. If so, then a potential android buyer is in the uncomfortable position of having to decide on which apps they want to be able to run and which they can do without... all before buying the tablet. It is a lot like the way game consoles are today.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freshmaker
$3500 at the Gym...wow.
Deep tissue massage is rather expensive.
Money just cannot buy originality.
I hope the courts force them to be original though no doubt they will just switch tpAmazone Playstore.