>If some idiot roots their phone and downloads malware, the bank may be responsible for refunding them.

I keep reading this justification, and it doesn't make an ounce of sense to me.

first of all, the number of people who want to root their phones is a fraction of 1%. children, teenage girls, and senile boomers don't do that. the number of people with rooted phones who could fall for "hello sir, I am sir John Whiteman from Microsoft, you're phone have virus, sir, please do the needful install this a pee kaa, sir" is near zero.

second of all, phones get stolen all the time, and it would make sense to reduce liability by not providing apps at all.

it's security theater.