U.S. Bank employees are piloting one of the hottest technology trends on the market today — augmented reality. Dubbed the “Find US+ Application for iPhone,” the bank’s new mobile tool allows users on-the-go to easily find and access the closest U.S. Bank branch or ATM.
The new Find US+ augmented reality app merges the real world with a digital experience, creating a unique way for customers with iPhones to locate U.S. Bank branches and ATMs. When pointed in a specific direction, the phone displays a computer-generated graphic for each location (branch or ATM), its address, and distance based on the user’s GPS location.
Locations are color-coded to indicate which is open, closed or closing soon. The app recognizes when the user arrives at the destination and asks if additional information is requested. It also provides the best route and hours of operation.
The Find US+ App also offers a street view utilizing the iPhone’s camera. The user’s screen displays all US Bank branches and ATMs within view as well as walking directions and other pertinent location information when the camera lens is directed down the street at eye level.
Nifty Feature: When a user is in sight of the branch or ATM, images captured through the camera, such as the U.S. Bank logo, trigger other digital animation to enhance the customer’s virtual and real world experience.
For customers who know what type of location they are searching for, such as a “drive-up ATM only” or “open locations only,” the app allows the user to narrow the field of locations displayed.
“The Find US+ App for iPhone may soon empower our customers to interact with us more easily,” said Dominic Venturo, chief innovation officer for U.S. Bank Payment Services. In the meantime, the app is for employees only.
However, it looks like U.S. Bank has ambitious plans in the mobile banking arena, and the augmented reality app is just one piece of a larger puzzle. Venturo says the application ”sets the stage for U.S. Bank to leverage its development efforts for future location-based experiences, including customized offers from our partners.” What exactly that means is anyone’s guess, but it sounds big and important.
The launch of the Find US+ App comes on the heels of U.S. Bank’s launch of the Instant Line Access App for iPad® that gives customers the opportunity to apply for and, if approved, receive on-the-spot credit to begin making purchases and earning rewards.