I think this really depends on which city you are in. When Uber started in SF, the experience of getting a taxi was very frustrating. There weren't enough cabs

I think this really depends on which city you are in. When Uber started in SF, the experience of getting a taxi was very frustrating. There weren't enough cabs, the cab drivers were over the top rude, they refused to take credit cards and were aggressive about tips, if you called a cab they would never show up, and they were (and still are) expensive. It was not necessarily about the app, it was just that it was reliable -- you could get a car when and where you needed it and not having to pay in the car made the experience far superior. At the very same time, there were all these black cars rolling around the city and picking up passengers somewhat illegally. That experience was not great because you often had to negotiate a high rate, but this was mostly because there were no taxis available. In other words, there was a bunch of supply that could be utilized. I think those conditions made Uber particularly ripe to work in SF and once it did, that proved that it could work elsewhere as well. The app was also a huge benefit, but in context, I actually think it could have been just as useful in the beginning if you could have texted your address. It goes to show that for something to be great, you have to get a lot of things right at once. :-)