4 ms·
Er, either prices float to their natural level and there's no problem (i.e. Uber's profits are reasonable), or a competitor comes along. Come on, keep some per
by zigzigzag 10y ago
Er, either prices float to their natural level and there's no problem (i.e. Uber's profits are reasonable), or a competitor comes along.
Come on, keep some perspective. Uber is a taxi app. We're not talking about a Manhatten Project of software here. Duplicating the Uber experience is easy. 99% of the effort they're putting in there is the fights with all the governments, regulators, taxi unions etc.
- angry-hacker 10y agoAnd how those new apps get traction? They either need VC money or they die. Facebook and Twitter are not Manhattan projects either, but there's no real competition. Right now Uber is using the VC money to break or ignore laws and create itself a monopoly. If we really wanted to disrupt the Taxi business, you need to destroy all the regulation for everyone. Collecting tax pennies and giving them away does not help, of course. It does not matter what the right answer is; the playground needs to be equal.
- zigzigzag 10y agoFacebook and Twitter are in competition. And I think you underestimate the complexity of a project like Facebook. It started small, but back then people's expectations were much lower. If Facebook started charging for its services or otherwise pissing off its users in big and obvious ways, I guarantee there'd be a serious competitor on the streets within months.
- brownbat 10y ago> And how those new apps get traction? In a world where Uber is charging monopoly rents, they compete on either price or features. Monopolies work when there's a barrier to entry beyond name recognition.