Tech Telecom

After its successful launch on Android, the Bharat Interface for Money, or BHIM, an app developed by the government to further its cashless push, has been finally launched on the iOS platform on Saturday.

With its debut on iOS, it is currently supporting over 35 banks such as State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, Union Bank of India and Kotak Mahindra Bank.

The app is currently available in Hindi and English, unlike the Android version which supports other regional languages as well such as Bengali, Odiya, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. However, support for more banks and regional languages is likely to be added soon.

“The BHIM App will now cater to almost 100% smartphone users in the country with the launch on iOS platform. This will ensure wider acceptance for digital transactions among consumers across all sections. Though market share of iPhones is not very large in India, users of iPhone are high transacting customers. Therefore, it is a development of special significance as it will help to boost transaction volumes,” said A. P. Hota, MD & CEO, National Payments Corp. of India (NPCI) in a statement.

The Android version of the app was launched on 30 December by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote digital transactions using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a bank-to-bank fund transfer system backed by internet and smartphones, using phone numbers linked to banks.

“The BHIM App on iOS platform is equipped with updated features available on BHIM’s Android version 1.2. This includes Pay to Aadhaar number, SPAM report, advanced customer redressal mechanism,” the statement added.

Similar to the Android version, BHIM app on iOS also has a limit of Rs10,000 per transaction and Rs20,000 in a day for transfers through the bank account.

BHIM app currently doesn’t allow multiple accounts to be operated simultaneously. In case you want to switch to a different bank account, go to Bank Accounts section – tap on the three dots on iOS (More) – choose Change Account. From here you can again select your preferred bank. Once you have set up your accounts on the BHIM app, it will not ask you again to set up the UPI passcode. So the next time you have to switch in between the bank accounts, simply choose change account and start transferring money.

The Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app has seen more than 140 lakh registration, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in New Delhi on Friday.

“The recently launched BHIM app by the government of India will unleash the power of mobile phones for digital payments and financial inclusion. So far, over 140 lakh people have adopted the BHIM app,” Prasad said.

“Digital economy aims for speed, accountability and transparency. We are also creating an eco-system to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing,” the minister said, adding: “Over 250 investment proposals for electronics manufacturing have been received in the last two years, totalling an investment of Rs. 1.26 lakh crores.”

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