Two of the UK’s biggest banks now allow you to access your accounts using Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint recognition system.
From February 19, customers of NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland who own an iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus will be able to access their accounts using the Touch ID system. They will be the first banks in Britain to enable such a feature feature.
This Touch ID authentication works through each bank’s mobile banking app, which typically requires a unique password to access.
Of course, while Touch ID is pretty much the most reliable mainstream fingerprint recognition system around, it’s not flawless. As such, three failed attempts will bring up the standard password entry system.
In a statement over on the RBS website, it’s claimed that half of the banks’ 15 million customers bank online, while three million of those customers use the mobile app every week.
Related: iPhone 6S to feature improved Touch ID sensor
“There has been a revolution in banking, as more and more of our customers are using digital technology to bank with us,” said Stuart Haire, managing director of RBS and NatWest Direct Bank. “Adding Touch ID to our mobile banking app makes it even easier and more convenient for customers to manage their finances on the move and directly responds to their requests.”
Of course, the fact that the Touch ID system was hacked in rudimentary fashion within a day of its launch in the iPhone 5S should be of some concern to NatWest and RBS mobile banking app users.
However, the banks have informed the BBC that certain processes such as bank transfers will continue to require additional verification.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
