Industry partners showcase new financial services apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As Sibos 2013 gets underway, SunGard, Thomson Reuters, Temenos and FreedomPay are announcing new apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 that will help financial services companies across the world grow their businesses with mobile experiences for employees and customers.

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According to Gartner, "CIOs see these technologies as disrupting business fundamentally over the next 10 years. When asked which digital technologies would be most disruptive, 70 percent of CIOs cited mobile technologies, followed by big data/analytics at 55 percent, social media at 54 percent and public cloud at 51 percent."¹ By year end of 2015, 40 percent of all in-person interactions between banks and their customers will be initiated or completed using a tablet computer.²

"Customers have more information and ways to connect than ever before. Providing an easy, do-it-your-way experience that is personally and professionally relevant is essential to customer retention and acquisition. Competition is coming from non-banks and changing the financial services industry landscape, and the bottom line is more important than ever," said Karen Cone, general manager, Microsoft Financial Services. "Microsoft and our industry partners are focused on building great mobile experiences to help financial services institutions harness this new technology and evolve their businesses."

Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices continue Microsoft's long history of providing the security, manageability and compliance that financial services companies rely on. As financial services go mobile, the importance of access control, data security and computing power become even more important. App builders for the financial services industry recognize the power of the Windows 8 platform on mobile devices as essential to providing the solutions that their customers demand. Windows 8 enables new critical business mobility and productivity scenarios that meet the rigorous IT standards for security, manageability and support required in today's financial services industry.

SunGard removes barriers between branch employees and customers

In today's bank branch environment, employees need to be able to move around and engage customers on their terms, and Windows 8 devices help them do this. SunGard is announcing the availability of its tablet banking solution, Ambit Concierge, on Windows 8. SunGard's Ambit Concierge helps empower relationship managers with real-time, secured mobile access to customer, product and service information, helping to deliver a more personalized, convenient service to enhance the customer experience. Combining the rich functionality of Ambit Concierge with the affordability, enhanced security and mass usability of Windows 8 will help retail banks address the growing need for increased connectivity to multiple information sources and channels. This will help empower relationship managers and drive growth through more competitive client service.

Thomson Reuters helps make board meetings more secure

Thomson Reuters is announcing its BoardLink app for Windows 8 this week. BoardLink offers company board members an easy, direct and more secure way to access and share information. Today, many board meetings require a physical book of documents for board members to review, which can present security concerns. The boards of public companies also face heightened scrutiny from investors, regulators and the media, and therefore increasingly rely on technology for support and assistance. BoardLink encrypts the important information on meeting attendees' tablets, provides links to Thomson Reuters' market information, and ensures attendees are informed and prepared with continuously updated information. The BoardLink app for Windows 8 allows users to seamlessly integrate their board experience across desktop and mobile devices. Board members can access data from remote locations around the clock without compromising security. Developing on Windows 8 also allows BoardLink to reach new audiences around the world.

Temenos creates central location for data

Temenos, the market-leading provider of banking software systems, announced a prototype Temenos Treasury Management Dashboard app for Windows 8. The app provides a central location for all essential data for treasury managers and senior bank members. Using the intuitive Windows 8 touch navigation and live tiles, the Treasury Management Dashboard app provides a constantly updated and centralized view of risk and positioning, giving users the ability to better manage potential opportunities and challenges.

FreedomPay and Windows Phone 8 make mobile money easy

FreedomPay, a mobile payment and incentive company, has developed the FreedomPay Commerce Platform, available first on Windows Phone 8, which allows consumers to use the platform as a mobile wallet to pay at local stores and get exclusive mobile incentives. Payment cards, offers and loyalty cards are secured in the SEEK digital wallet, which simplifies the consumer's payment experience. It also benefits banks, as they can white label the powerful commerce platform to target consumers based on buying habits and use the app to deliver highly relevant offers to them. By taking advantage of the intuitive user experience on Windows Phone 8, FreedomPay gets a more immersive app experience, including benefits such as Live Tiles, enhanced search and an easy-to-navigate, user-centric interface.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

¹ Gartner press release, "Gartner Executive Program Survey of More Than 2,000 CIOs Shows Digital Technologies Are Top Priorities in 2013," Jan. 16, 2013, http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2304615
² Gartner, "Predicts 2013: External Forces Will Increasingly Challenge Banks and Investment Services Firms," published Nov. 20, 2012.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.