iPhone banking services launched

China Unicom and China Merchants Bank have agreed to jointly launch mobile banking services through the Apple iPhone.
This is just the start as the two parties plan to launch further services, including mobile payment, mobile banking and financial applications by mobile phone.
China Unicom reported mobile service revenues of RMB63.59 billion (US$9.54 billion) in the first three quarters of 2010, up 20% from the same period of 2009, including communications revenues of RMB60.52 billion (US$9.08 billion), up 16.8%.
The average revenue per user of the mobile service in January-September was RMB43.50 (US$6.53), TMC.Net.com reported.
The move to launch mobile banking services is part of a worldwide trend, with telcos hurrying to make deals that would allow the mobile phone to become the "everything machine."