Citi Releases Kindle Fire App

Citi has officially launched a banking app designed for the Kindle Fire, called Citibank (Kindle Fire Edition). The new app is the company's first offering for an Android-based tablet.

The Citibank (Kindle Fire Edition) app, which is available for download in the Finance section of the Amazon Appstore for Android, features many of the same rich graphics and interactivity that the Citibank iPad app offers. Highlights include in-depth personal financial management tools and interactive charts that allow customers to plan cash outflows, analyze personal spending and compare spending habits with general consumers. The app also features access to financial education resources and direct access to its real-time Twitter customer support.

[Click here for information on recent iPad app upgrades from Citi.]

Although the Citibank (Kindle Fire Edition) app is similar to its iPad app, the company says that this is the first bank app that has been built exclusively for the Kindle Fire device -- "with every component, graphic, touch action, button and slider customized to the tablet’s modified operating system, form factor, screen size and resolution."

Tracey Weber, Citi’s managing director for consumer Internet and mobile banking in North America, says that Citi is always assessing what devices are coming out and gaining traction, and saw the release of the Kindle Fire as a prime opportunity to be accessible more customers. "When amazon announced the Kindle fire and the price point it was at it was clear that it would be a hot item for the holidays," she says.

Tablet innovations are an integral part of Citi's mobile and digital strategy, according to Weber. "It’s a really big focus area for us moving forward," she says. "There's a huge opportunity to deepen our relationship and engagement with customers." She adds that Citi has a small, specialized team dedicated to creating and upgrading tablet apps.