4 ms·

This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. The ability of Google Maps to show an estimated Uber price and provide a link to the Uber ap

This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. The ability of Google Maps to show an estimated Uber price and provide a link to the Uber app is nice for Uber but it's better for Uber to have users opening their own app than to have a tiny feature in another company's app. They might be providing walking directions in the future, I think. And once it's a fully-fledged map app, having it track your location outside of the ride has the same justification as Google. Wow, I hadn't noticed but they got rid of that feature. Perhaps they'll reinstate it at some point. https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/29/16219542/uber-location-tracking-app-ios-android-privacy https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/29/16219542/uber-location-tr...

gumby 8y ago
You can still get Uber pricing directly from inside Apple Maps but Lyft abandoned this plug in. Funny, where I live Lyft was always more expensive, as was completely obvious when I used Apple Maps. Lyft is cheaper in some markets but I was so annoyed by their fear of comparison that I have stopped using them. And Uber aren't saints, so this is a missed opportunity for Lyft.
petra 8y ago
For UBER it's great - they get highly targeted access to large amount of people needing transportation - AND that are willing to sit next to other people to save money. So as a first step, they could offer those people to share their first/last mile with other passengers, in a 6-passenger minivan. The price will be cheap/cheapest, and the trip fast(the route will be optimized). That would be an easy sell. Probably viral. And it would increase transit ridership - and lead to other transportation authorities cooperating. And Google can't compete with that.
bradleyjg 8y ago
> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?
- stephencoyner 8y ago
  The announcement says that the Uber app will have ticketing, so with Uber you could complete your whole journey, not just plan it.
- roel_v 8y ago
  The goal is to let the Uber app do (or at least suggest) the mode choice for you. So instead of thinking 'hmm, I'll use PT, now I need to open app XYZ', you could be 'I want to go from point A to point B. Let me open the Uber app to check my options.' And those options would include the travel times and costs of all available modes. Basically, the goal is to have one 'transport' app, and that would be the Uber app. Removing mental overhead - never having to think about what app you want to open (I realize how ridiculous it sounds to call that 'mental overhead', but let's just pretend that any non-zero cost is equal and an inefficiency). Of course this could only happen if the Uber app has all functionality the Google Maps app has, and every bit as good, and also all functionality of all local public transport apps (like, it would have to have up to date information on the exact current location and time of the trains on the route you're looking at, as some PT apps do). This is a huge, dare I say it impossible task. But still, baby steps and all.
  - erklik 8y ago
    > Of course this could only happen if the Uber app has all functionality the Google Maps app has, and every bit as good, Something that I have found is Uber doesn't seem to be as good as Google Maps doing routing between two people. Google has better traffic management and having routes that are shorter and faster. Uber seems to sometimes take a much longer route. Anecdote, of course but yeah, IMO, they have a long while to go yet.
    - Tempest1981 8y ago
      So the Uber drivers will, in turn, be using Google maps. Or Waze.
  - joncrane 8y ago
    I was in Costa Rica and I used Google Maps to navigate my way around some beaches and stuff. And to look at the satellite imagery. Nothing to do with directions or even roads. No way Uber is competing with that.

gumby 8y ago

You can still get Uber pricing directly from inside Apple Maps but Lyft abandoned this plug in. Funny, where I live Lyft was always more expensive, as was completely obvious when I used Apple Maps. Lyft is cheaper in some markets but I was so annoyed by their fear of comparison that I have stopped using them. And Uber aren't saints, so this is a missed opportunity for Lyft.

petra 8y ago

For UBER it's great - they get highly targeted access to large amount of people needing transportation - AND that are willing to sit next to other people to save money. So as a first step, they could offer those people to share their first/last mile with other passengers, in a 6-passenger minivan. The price will be cheap/cheapest, and the trip fast(the route will be optimized). That would be an easy sell. Probably viral. And it would increase transit ridership - and lead to other transportation authorities cooperating. And Google can't compete with that.

bradleyjg 8y ago

> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?

stephencoyner 8y ago
The announcement says that the Uber app will have ticketing, so with Uber you could complete your whole journey, not just plan it.
roel_v 8y ago
The goal is to let the Uber app do (or at least suggest) the mode choice for you. So instead of thinking 'hmm, I'll use PT, now I need to open app XYZ', you could be 'I want to go from point A to point B. Let me open the Uber app to check my options.' And those options would include the travel times and costs of all available modes. Basically, the goal is to have one 'transport' app, and that would be the Uber app. Removing mental overhead - never having to think about what app you want to open (I realize how ridiculous it sounds to call that 'mental overhead', but let's just pretend that any non-zero cost is equal and an inefficiency). Of course this could only happen if the Uber app has all functionality the Google Maps app has, and every bit as good, and also all functionality of all local public transport apps (like, it would have to have up to date information on the exact current location and time of the trains on the route you're looking at, as some PT apps do). This is a huge, dare I say it impossible task. But still, baby steps and all.
- erklik 8y ago
  > Of course this could only happen if the Uber app has all functionality the Google Maps app has, and every bit as good, Something that I have found is Uber doesn't seem to be as good as Google Maps doing routing between two people. Google has better traffic management and having routes that are shorter and faster. Uber seems to sometimes take a much longer route. Anecdote, of course but yeah, IMO, they have a long while to go yet.
  - Tempest1981 8y ago
    So the Uber drivers will, in turn, be using Google maps. Or Waze.
- joncrane 8y ago
  I was in Costa Rica and I used Google Maps to navigate my way around some beaches and stuff. And to look at the satellite imagery. Nothing to do with directions or even roads. No way Uber is competing with that.