CaixaBank has become the first in the world to let customers follow the stock markets via smartwatches and locate branches and convert currencies using Google Glass devices.

The Spanish bank has designed an application for smartwatches that allows users to choose and follow stocks and indices from international markets.

The smartwatch devices – which synchronise with mobile phones – will display recent price information for each stock and index, as well as fluctuations since the start of the market session. Should users want more detailed information, selecting the stock on the smartwatch screen will automatically open the CaixaBank stock market application on their mobile phone, displaying full information for the selected stock.

As well as the smartwatch platform, CaixaBank has also prepared two services designed specifically for Google Glass devices – a branch finder based on augmented reality and a currency convertor.

Google Glass users will see where to find the nearest CaixaBank branch superimposed on the screen, as well as the direction they need to travel, how far away it is and the branch telephone number in case they need to call ahead. Customers can also use the voice service by stating a location or an address, and the Google Glass will display all the branches nearest to that point.

The currency converter sees Google Glass run calculations when the user activates the application and focuses the glasses on a product’s price tag. The equivalent amount will then appear superimposed on the screen, and the service will work for any global currency.

The Google Glass technology is ready and will be launched once the Google Glass application market is officially opened in the United States, the bank says.

But the smartwatch service can be downloaded now for free via Google Play or the CaixaBank app store, and is included in the latest update for the Bolsa Abierta application for Android provided by CaixaBank.

CaixaBank currently has 3.9 million mobile service customers and 9 million online customers, as well as Spain’s largest ATM network with close to 10,000 machines.

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