New mobile version of cibc.com now available; delivers improved user experience as part of a growing trend towards web browsing from smartphones

TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2012 /CNW/ - CIBC (CM: TSX; NYSE) has introduced a new, mobile version of CIBC.com, allowing Canadians with a smartphone to view advice and information on the site through a new client interface that perfectly fits the site onto the screen of their mobile device. The new site is another innovation as part of CIBC's leadership position in mobile financial services for Canadians, having launched the first mobile banking App in Canada in 2010, and becoming the first bank in Canada to launch a mobile stock trading App in 2011. 

"As smartphone adoption grows rapidly in Canada, we've responded with innovations such as mobile banking and brokerage, and now with a new mobile-optimized cibc.com site, allowing Canadians to browse our website on their mobile device for advice and information," commented Michael Martin, Senior Vice President, Alternate Channels, CIBC.

Traditional websites can be difficult for clients to navigate when they are accessed from a mobile device, as the information that would normally fit on a large computer monitor is compressed to fit onto a much smaller screen. The new mobile CIBC.com site addresses this issue by providing mobile users with information from the site in a format ideally suited to the smaller screen on their mobile device. 

"Anyone who uses a smartphone has experienced the frustration of trying to read content that is too small to see, as a result of a traditional website being compressed to fit a small screen," added Mr. Martin. "Our new mobile-optimized website addresses this issue by delivering content from cibc.com that fits perfectly on the screen of your mobile device, making it much easier and faster to get the information you need." 

Delivering mobile financial services and making information about products and services available through mobile devices is becoming increasingly important in Canada. A recent CIBC Poll conducted by Harris/Decima reveals 33 percent of Canadians now own a smartphone, and 25 per cent of smartphone owners have started banking on the go with mobile banking. 

"Smartphones are changing the way Canadians browse the Internet for information, and we know that our clients are constantly looking for new and enhanced opportunities to use their mobile device to interact with CIBC," added Mr. Martin. "Today's enhancements are one more way that we're responding to the changing needs of our clients, by giving them information through their mobile device." 

Statistics quoted in this release on smartphone ownership are from a previously-released CIBC poll conducted by Harris/Decima, gathered with a sample of 2018 total Canadians. Interviews were conducted between September 8th and 19th, 2011. A sample of this size has a margin of error of +/- 2.2% (+/- 4.3% for data pertaining to smartphone owners), 19 times out of 20.

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with nearly 11 million personal banking and business clients. CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada, and has offices in the United States and around the world. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Press Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.