New Zealand Post and Kiwibank are set to join the international info tech revolution associated with the launch of the iPhone.
The next generation 3G iPhone is a combination of mobile phone, iPod for music and video, and pocket-sized access to the internet.
The technology provides opportunities to more effectively deliver information and services to customers.
Kiwibank has designed a version of its internet banking to "fit" the iPhone perfectly. Conventional websites can be challenging to operate on the small iPhone, but Kiwibank's site has been reconfigured for simple viewing and rapid access to account information.
Customers will be able to view account balances and transaction histories and be able to make transfers between accounts and credit cards. This service is immediately available to Kiwibank internet banking customers.
New Zealand Post is working with Kiwibank on mapping technology using the iPhone Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) functionality to determine location, via GPS or by triangulating a position using Wi-Fi and cellular towers, to provide information on postal and related services.
This will enable customers to use the phone to locate the nearest PostShop for postal and banking requirements, and will complement the development of improved technology for accessing popular online tools, including those for looking up addresses and retail services.