Official Barclays app for Windows Phone currently in internal testing

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

It's already known that UK bank Barclays is working hard on a Windows Phone app and plans to have the client available on the store in 2014, but a recent tweet published by the official account teases that the app is currently being tested internally. The good news? There's clearly not long to go now.

In response to a tweet, Barclays asks everyone to watch their feed for further information regarding the approaching release. Could we see an early 2014 launch? It's certainly possible.

Barclays Tweet

Barclays will join the likes of Royal Bank of Scotland (as well as Natwest) once finally available for Windows Phone. We'll keep our eyes open for any further information that may leak out before the app hits the store. Stay tuned!

Source: Twitter (@BarclaysOnline); thanks, Vince, for the tip!

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

54 Comments
  • Good news
  • The list will then be... - Natwest
    - Royal Bank Of Scotland
    - Halifax
    - Lloyds Bank
    - TSB
    - Bank of Scotland
    - Barclays IIRC, First Direct mooted the idea of a WP app in the first quarter of 2014 (which should lead to a HSBC app) and Santander responded that one will come in 2014. Nationwide building society have 6000+ requests for an app, currently the most requested feature on their own customer feedback service (although they appear to be ignoring it atm). These apps make a difference, none of my three banks (Nationwide, Santander and Barclays) have an app yet (the latter two do have wonderful mobile websites however), but I know a lot of customers look for banking apps before they consider a platform. Only on Saturday, someone who moved from an iphone 4 to a Lumia 925 thanks to advice from me, was made up with the natwest app, she says its better than the one available on ios. There is apps missing that she had on her iphone, but natwest was a key app for her! She absolutely loves the 925 though, she played with my 920 before she got it and she was impressed but has really fallen for the 925, and thinks windows phone is better than ios despite some apps not being available (but then she loves the likes of the bing apps and Nokia apps etc). For reference, she is in her 60's and all her kids etc have iPhones, but she claims she wont go back and her grandkids are very impressed with her 925 (12 and 17 years old). This is why apps like this are key to the future of windows phone, she wouldn't have left her iphone contract where it not for natwest, and now a family who've never had a windows phone are both aware of if, and excited by it!!
  • Exactly. I left nationwide for this reason and moved to natwest. All apps all 3 platforms, that's how it should be. Once the design, the assets and first app is done - so is most of the thinking and its just code from then on. No excuses.
  • I wouldn't leave Nationwide because of the lack of an app, for the simple reason I'm a FlexPlus customer and the account cannot be matched by anyone else, also have Flexclusive ISA's with them as a result of the FlexPlus account with rates which can't be beaten elsewhere. But it truely angers me how they go on about putting their customers needs first and at the centre of everything they do etc, and advertising their iphone and droid apps at every opportunity, yet they continue to treat customers with windows phones (and blackberry's or indeed any other platform) as second-class citizens. One startling thing is they have ios and droid apps, yet don't even spend a few pence on a mobile website... Walk before you can run ffs! Useless devs who cant see past their own devices!!!!
  • About time! What about Ping It?
  • I'd like to see Ping It incorporated into this app on Windows Phone instead of two separate apps.
  • What about Citi Bank?   What about Pinger's Text Free SMS?   What about MetaTrader?   What about Microsoft Flights?   What about VLC!!   and and aaaaand.......
  • What about HSBC?
  • Yes!! HSBC and Standard Chartered too.. 8-)
  • There is supposed to be a First Direct app incoming as well which could mean that HSBC will create their own app as First Direct is owned by them.
  • Dont forget Lloyds also has an app
  • And TSB.
  • Santander, you watching you lazy...... You know what, cba... Nice work Barclays.
  • Time to move bank.
     
  • Or just use the browser? Moving banks just for an app seems a bit extreme.
  • the ios and android apps just wrap m.santander.co.uk when you try to login anyway, the front of the app looks native but the web banking isnt or wasnt before.
  • Just a side note. bb.santander.co
    uk will allow you to access your business account on mobile
  • Great news
  • Come on Nationwide now! Almost 11k names on the petition now!
  • What petition? Are you talking about Nationwide Bank in the US?
  • I'd imagine he's talking about http://nationwide.co.uk
  • I actually asked them a while back, they said they have no plans to make one. I'm moving to Natwest, their app is great.
  • About bloody time! ;-)
  • Bloody good show...
  • Bloody Mary...
  • Would be nice to get an AIB app for Ireland too, I'm always hounding them on Facebook lol
  • I've hounded them on Twitter also. Lazy Irish banks were never good at looking forward!!
  • I was with Ulster, part of RBS/Natwest who have apps - which are pretty much the same just a different logo slapped on top.
    Ulster never made any indication after my requests that they are planning one, I wonder how much changing the name on the RBS app costs?
  • How exited
  • Flipboard still can't be found lol
  • for real!
  • HSBC doesn't seem to be developing a Windows app....
  • Wish they would. Every so often I type in HSBC in the market place, but none so far.....
  • I find the current mobile application works very well on my 8x I can log in with a five digit code and memorable word an see all balances with just 7 key strikes then do transfers pay bills etc. I just hope they don't complicate it or dumb it down using tiles.
  • They just tweeted me: @beckett1 Hi, a Windows Phone app is currently being tested internally prior to release. We should be releasing it very soon! ^NH
  • Finally! :)
  • It includes pingit. They tweeted me about a month ago to say its in internal testing so i guess it must be final adjustments etc
  • That's good then as I have a PingIt account, yet another app I can cross off the "Need to keep Android for" list.
  • BTW what should we expect from CES 2014 ???  - I mean Nokia or WP
  • I wish Ulster Bank would get off their asses and make a app
  • Yip. Even though a moved my main account to Santander (which also needs an app but has a decent mobile site). It would be nice to have access to my old account. They use rbs ads on tv which shows a man using an ulster wank app on his lumia lol
  • I find RBS hilarious. Their GetCash service ad is the same across RBS and Natwest too, just the wall of the call centre changes the logo - which goes for most printed ads and leaflets.
    But for all their crap I'm leaving, not before I got £200 compensation for being such a poor banking group. As mentioned prior, Nationwide are a damn good bank, haven't failed their IT systems and didn't try to ruin the country. Sadly they have no app.
  • Ulster banks reliability sucks but their customer service is good. I have 2 account with them for quite a while now will probably move if they keep their shit up.
  • Hope that includes Ping It, I think that is what most people want.
  • Ping it would have to be included. Also this app was supposed to be released the end of December numerous advisors told me, when I asked.
  • I mentioned this on the forums last month. I'm just glad that Barclays are finally going to release it soon (I hope lol)
  • Nice one i use Barclays and Natwest so will be sorted then!
  • It would be false, but they'll probably blame it on some IT failure, 'someone forgot to press publish'.
    Take some comfort that Vodafone misrepresent a Nokia device in their 4G ad. Apparently Nokias run Android in Ad World.
  • Need HSBC now but if we have to use security key on mobile then it would be useless. Cannot take that big keypad all the tine with me.
  • It's not exactly big but it would be a major PITA to carry it around all the time though.
  • Any idea if US Bank is ever going to release an app for WP?
  • My own bank (ulster bank(part of RBS(which has apps))) advertises on tv an app being used on a lumia but doesn't actually have one. Clearly they copied their groups ads. Does this count as false advertising?
  • I also no for a fact that currently Co-op Bank (UK only) have nothing in the pipeline for WP. Only updates to the currently available app for other platforms...
  • I was told mid 2013 on FB page that pingit app would be available December 2013. Is this Barclays app it? Do you have to have an account with Barclays to use pingit service in this app or will they release separate app?