Sigh a little less, bankers. Consumers doing mobile banking jumped to 30% from 19% within the past 12 months, finds Javelin Strategy and Research’s latest report. 

“Consumer adoption just took off,” Mary Monahan, executive vice president and research director, tells Bank Innovation. “[Adoption] had taken a pause in 2010.”

The research firm credits the adoption surge primarily to greater availability of the service. In other words, mobile banking vendors have signed on more banks. A year ago, vendors were only live with a “few” banks, while today, the average vendor has inked deals with 173 banks, she says.

Further driving up usage numbers are more consumers owning smartphones. Indeed, nearly half of all Americans now own a smartphone, says Monahan.

“This [trend] is great for mobile banking,” she adds, pointing out that smartphone owners also tend to be stickier banking customers.

Key for vendors — and their bank customers — is offering the mobile banking triple play: SMS text, a mobile browser, and downloadable apps. Offering all three ways to mobile bank is critical simply because consumers don’t all own the same type of phones, Monahan explains. “If banks don’t offer triple play, some consumers can’t mobile bank,” she says. “They need to offer different modes of access.”

Nonetheless, security concerns remain the No. 1 reason consumers choose not to mobile bank, finds the study.

“Some banks don’t say anything about security for mobile banking,” Monahan says. “This won’t help consumers get over their fears.”

Looking beyond the surge of mobile bankers, Javelin identified tablets as the mobile device for FIs to especially stay tuned into.

“Tablets are a huge game changer,” Monahan tells Bank Innovation. “Banks have to watch tablets, which are in between PCs and mobile phones.”

Keeping tabs on the mobile devices consumers are using is especially critical, since a consumer’s attachment to a particular mobile device is fleeting. Though the iOS iPad is winning the tablet popularity contest, Monahan points out how Android and Windows are neck-and-neck for second place. Plus, Amazon recently added a tablet into the mix.

“That’s the biggest challenge,” Monahan says. “It’s getting more complex.”