Apple iPhone-toting customers of Berlin-based challenger bank N26 can now pay their friends with a simple voice command to Siri.
Taking advantage of the latest iOS update, which gives developers access to virtual assistant Siri, N26 says that all a customer has to do to send money is issue a simple statement such as 'Hey Siri, send 12 Euros to Max with N26'. Transfers are limited to EUR25 per transaction and EUR100 a day.
In addition, customers can request money from friends using Apple's iMessage IM service. First, the N26 app must be added to iMessage or activated in Siri's settings, then the user enters how much they want to be paid on their N26 keyboard.
N26 says it is the first bank in Germany to offer payments by voice command, but it is not the only player out there tapping into the new iOS capabilities; both Square and UK challenger Monzo have unveiled plans to use Siri for funds transfers, while PayPal subsidiary Venmo is also getting in on the act, announcing integrations with Siri for voice and texting via iMessage.