Released: October 2011
Without a doubt, the introduction of the mobile smartphone—specifically Apple’s release of its first iPhone
in 2007—has dramatically transformed how consumers engage with friends, family, and business.
The small hand-held device that consumers “don’t leave home without” manages social lives, provides access to music and entertainment, keeps track of appointments, and generally has become the primary tool for managing all dimensions of the busy lives of today’s consumers.
One of the most significant areas of our lives that mobile technology is transforming is how we manage our
money. Financial services providers are recognizing consumers’ mobile lifestyles and preferences and are
developing capabilities that allow consumers to have the bank in their pocket. Now we can use our phones
to check balances, transfer funds, and make payments. Moreover, these capabilities, once at the forefront of
innovation, are quickly becoming table stakes. Going forward, to effectively meet the demands of consumers
for newer, more convenient, and more relevant apps, banks must continually seek new, innovative, and relevant
mobile capabilities.
One recently introduced mobile app that is proving to be a disruptive technology and driving force in
consumers’ adoption of mobile financial services is Mobile Remote Deposit Capture, or Mobile RDC—the
ability to deposit a check using a camera-equipped smartphone. Understanding the role Mobile RDC will
play in the bank selection process of consumers, and as a result, how banks compete, has become critical.
Toward that goal, this paper explores how:
• Mobile RDC is becoming the critical element in consumer bank selection and bank mobile strategy
• Mobile banking and Mobile RDC offer compelling economics to the financial services providers
that deploy them
• The market potential for mobile banking and Mobile RDC is strong
• Mobile banking and Mobile RDC can enhance banks’ customer value proposition
Mobile RDC is becoming a critical element in consumer bank selection and bank mobile strategy:
•Smartphone adoption is accelerating:
Over 40% of U.S. adults are forecasted to have a smartphone within
the next two years which will drive mobile banking adoption and specific features such as Mobile RDC.
• Consumers are highly interested in Mobile RDC: the percentage of consumers “extremely likely or likely to
adopt” Mobile RDC has doubled from 9% to 18% from 2009 to 2011
•Consumers readily embrace the convenience offered by Mobile RDC: the top reasons that consumers adopt
Mobile RDC include the urgency to have the check deposited for safekeeping, need for cash, and ease
of use.