Westpac New Zealand, the countries third largest bank by assets, has announced the imminent arrival of its smartwatch banking app.

The mobile banking app will allow customers to check their account balance from their wrists.

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At launch the app will only be compatible with the Sony SmartWatch, but Westpac plans to open it up to other devices as they become available.

The watch app is based on Westpac’s Cash Tank mobile app, which allows users to check their balance on screen without logging in.

According to Westpac users will be able to sign up for account alerts and make transfers between accounts from their wrists in the future.

Simon Pomeroy, Westpac’s head of digital, said: "This development offers unrivalled convenience for customers and helps answer the most frequently asked question in banking, ‘What’s my balance?’ at the touch of their wrist."

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The banking app smartwatch race has been on since the much hyped Galaxy Gear launched in September, encroaching on the Pebble cornered market.

Many market watchers predict we will not see smartwatches enter the mainstream until other big players such as Apple and Google weigh in with their own rumoured devices.

Westpac, in their digital-first fashion, have proven to be a step ahead of competitors after their Australian subsidiary St. George Bank announced it was poised to launch a smartphone app last month.

 

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