iAM Smart to host more features

The government is undergoing a significant upgrade of the iAM Smart mobile app, said government chief information officer Tony Wong Chi-kwong.

The new version of the app will include features that remind users to pay taxes and utility bills.

Since its launch in December 2020, over 2.6 million Hongkongers have registered for the platform, with 1.2 million using upgraded version iAM Smart+.

The app provides users with personalized digital services, allowing them to conduct online government and commercial transactions all in one place.

Wong said that after the upgrade, users will be able to authorize different services from various government departments.

"These services will include checking government bill payments and activating reminders for upcoming expirations of government services, such as vehicle license renewals," he said.

Wong also said the government plans to establish a data sharing platform that integrates different technologies, systems and standardized formats. This platform aims to link various government departments and would connect to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's commercial data interchange.

It would enable business organizations to obtain corporate information from the government with customer authorization.

To incentivize economic activity, Wong suggested government departments and public institutions provide data to innovation companies free of charge. For instance, meteorological or traffic data, which do not violate personal privacy, could be offered to the innovation sector. This would allow them to develop weather or travel applications that bring convenience to Hongkongers.