The Kimbho messaging app recently launched by yoga guru Ramdev, which was mooted as a “swadeshi” (made in India) platform to take on WhatsApp messaging service, has disappeared from Google Play Store.
The app, which was launched on Wednesday, with a tagline: ‘Ab Bharat Bolega (Now India will speak)’, is still available on iOS App Store, though.
Kimbho is a Sanskrit word and it means “How are you?”
Patanjai spokesperson SK Tijarawala explained the meaning of ‘Kimbho’ in a tweet.
#किम्भो संस्कृत में हाल-चाल पूछने और खैर-खबर लेने के लिए आम संवाद में प्रयोग होता है जैसे हम बोलते हैं “किम्भो भैया” यानी..क्या हाल है भैया और क्या चल रहा है, क्या खबर है?
अब भारत बोलेगा..किम्भो
अब भारत पूछेगा ..किम्भो@narendramodi @yogrishiramdev @bst_official @Ach_Balkrishna https://t.co/6viDpigQHM— tijarawala sk (@tijarawala) May 30, 2018
Now Bharat will speak. After launching sim cards, Swami Ramdev has launched a new messaging application called ‘Kimbho’. Download it directly from Google Play store, said Tijarawala in a tweet on Wednesday.
अब भारत बोलेगा.!
सिम कार्ड के बाद बाबा रामदेव ने लॉन्च किया मैसेजिंग ऐप KIMBHO, व्हाट्सऐप को मिलेगी टक्कर..
अपना #स्वदेशी मैसेजिंग प्लेटफार्म। गूगल प्ले स्टोर से सीधे डाउनलोड करें।@yogrishiramdev@Ach_Balkrishna@bst_official @ANI@ani_digital@PTI_Newshttps://t.co/IxTGyLhMbq— tijarawala sk (@tijarawala) May 30, 2018
Tijarawala had said on Wednesday the app could be downloaded directly from Google Play Store.
The ‘Kimbho’ messaging app was initially listed on both Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
On Google Play Store, the developer is listed as Patanjali Ayurved, but on iOS the developer is Appdios.Inc. However, both apps have the same features, user interface and design.
Kimbho App features
The app has features similar to WhatsApp. It allows users to send messages to individuals, multiple users and options to create new groups. The app appears to support video calling. Other features include voice calls, and allowing users to share multimedia and stickers.
The ‘Kimbho’ app has also adopted features similar to Instagram and Snapchat, a user can also follow a celebrity on the app and send doodles as well.
However, France based cyber security expert Elliot Alderson, who had earlier alleged that NaMo app compromised the personal data of millions of Indians and also found loopholes in Aadhaar app’s security database, took to Twitter saying that Kimbho’s andriod app is a security disaster and a copy-paste job.
Ok, I will stop here. The #Kimbho #android #app is a security disaster. I can access the messages of all the users…🤦♂️
— Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) May 30, 2018
The @KimbhoApp is a copy paste of another #application. The description and the screenshots in the app stores are the same. Moreover, the #Kimbho app is making request to bolomessenger[.]com pic.twitter.com/gOKOhash5X
— Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) May 31, 2018