BECU, the largest credit union in Washington state, has notified customers that its mobile banking applications for Android and BlackBerry will be discontinued as of December 30th.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, the company that we worked with to develop the BECU Mobile Banking app for Android and BlackBerry is no longer offering the service,” according to a message to members. “As a result, any version of BECU Mobile Banking downloaded prior to September 25, 2011 will not work after December 30, 2011.”
BECU spokesman Todd Pietzsch tells GeekWire that the vendor responsible for the apps is exiting the mobile banking business, causing the credit union to find a new path.
As a result, BECU has decided to release a new Android version of the app, most likely around March. The BECU team is working “diligently” on the new Android app, according to the statement sent to members. It also will scrap plans for a separate BlackBerry app, saying the decision was made after “careful analysis of our members’ usage patterns and current adoption rates.”
BECU continues to offer an iPhone app, and the changes in vendor will not impact those users. The credit union boasts more than 725,000 members, and has more than $9 billion in assets.
Pietzsch said that mobile banking remains in its “infancy,” but it is growing fast. He did not readily have figures available on the number of Android and BlackBerry users impacted by the decision.
