Merrill Lynch Wealth Management has unveiled a raft of new online and mobile features in a bid to make account access and handling more convenient for clients.

A new Android app will enable clients to, among other things, view their accounts, follow the markets and transfer money. The “MyMerrill” app for iPhones allows clients to deposit checks remotely into eligible Merrill Lynch investment accounts. The firm has also come out with a new bill payment feature for iPads.

Paul Fox, head of online platforms at the wealth manager, which also has apps for Blackberry devices, said that mobile access is increasingly important for clients with multiple account types.

MyPrivateBanking, the private client forum and research firm, recently assessed the banking apps of the world’s biggest 50 institutions and found that of the ten most important features users expect of their apps, banks only deliver on three fronts. In fact, over 80 per cent of the world’s banks only offer the most basic functions, such as online banking and branch/ATM-finder functions. Having surveyed users of mobile banking apps, MyPrivateBanking also found shocking security shortcomings. Read more here.