4 ms·

It’s a funny point. After only taking Ubers and Lyfts all my adult life (young), I have recently switched to cabs because they are cheaper in my city (and I tel

It’s a funny point. After only taking Ubers and Lyfts all my adult life (young), I have recently switched to cabs because they are cheaper in my city (and I tell everyone I know to do the same). They have dominance now but if I had to guess whether cabs or Uber will still exist in 100 years… I know which I would bet on.

xmprt 3y ago
Cabs are an idea. Uber is a company. I can't think of any company that I'd predict to last 100 years. Even Google and Apple probably won't last 100 years. I honestly wouldn't even bet on cars being a dominant form of transportation in 100 years.
- charlie0 3y ago
  I think Apple will last 100 years. See their latest AR product. They continue to create amazing products that are relevant to the masses.
  - paulddraper 3y ago
    You're probably right. But FWIW it's not even to the halfway mark yet.
  - jokethrowaway 3y ago
    I had the opposite impression on AR. A useless gimmick no sane people will use. Apple did good with the M processors though
    - charlie0 3y ago
      Never underestimate the allure of status symbols. For the longest time I thought the same thing of the iPhone. Why would people spend so much when they can get Android for considerably cheaper ? It's the status stupid. Of course, now they are ubiquitious and no longer really much of a status symbol, but if you go back a decade, you'll know what I'm talking about. The same will happen with VR as the tech improves and prices drop a bit.
      - thorin 3y ago
        They aren't that ubiquitous in the UK/Europe or Asia. I've never used an iPhone. I'm not sure of the market share figures but I'd guess it's about 50/50. Similarly with Mac laptops you get the impression that everyone buys apple, but it's really not the case and it's probably more like 75% windows at a guess.
- serial_dev 3y ago
  > Even Google and Apple probably won't last 100 years. I'm not sure, there are 100+ yo companies like Kodak, Nikon, IBM, Panasonic, GSK, Merck, etc. With that in mind, it's not hard for me to imagine that some of the tech giants will also have a presence in hundred years, maybe not as dominant as today, but they could survive.
- ang_cire 3y ago
  > I can't think of any company that I'd predict to last 100 years. Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Unilever. Easy bet. Coca-Cola is already 137.
taneq 3y ago
Uber's surge pricing is dumb in places where they're competing with traditional taxi ranks. I usually pay $35-$45 for an Uber to/from the airport, but if a couple of flights land at once, suddenly Uber is $85+ and the taxis are only $55.
- Ridj48dhsnsh 3y ago
  Sounds to me like it's working perfectly. The point of surge pricing is to rebalance supply and demand when demand for rides outstrips supply of drivers, whether by attracting more drivers or by discouraging price sensitive riders. Some riders at the airport will strongly prefer Uber, for whatever reason, so they're less price sensitive than you. Because you're happy to substitute an Uber for a taxi, you decrease the demand as a response to the surge pricing, preserving the limited supply of drivers for the riders who really want them (or are at least are price insensitive enough to pay for that privilege).

xmprt 3y ago

Cabs are an idea. Uber is a company. I can't think of any company that I'd predict to last 100 years. Even Google and Apple probably won't last 100 years. I honestly wouldn't even bet on cars being a dominant form of transportation in 100 years.

charlie0 3y ago
I think Apple will last 100 years. See their latest AR product. They continue to create amazing products that are relevant to the masses.
- paulddraper 3y ago
  You're probably right. But FWIW it's not even to the halfway mark yet.
- jokethrowaway 3y ago
  I had the opposite impression on AR. A useless gimmick no sane people will use. Apple did good with the M processors though
  - charlie0 3y ago
    Never underestimate the allure of status symbols. For the longest time I thought the same thing of the iPhone. Why would people spend so much when they can get Android for considerably cheaper ? It's the status stupid. Of course, now they are ubiquitious and no longer really much of a status symbol, but if you go back a decade, you'll know what I'm talking about. The same will happen with VR as the tech improves and prices drop a bit.
    - thorin 3y ago
      They aren't that ubiquitous in the UK/Europe or Asia. I've never used an iPhone. I'm not sure of the market share figures but I'd guess it's about 50/50. Similarly with Mac laptops you get the impression that everyone buys apple, but it's really not the case and it's probably more like 75% windows at a guess.
serial_dev 3y ago
> Even Google and Apple probably won't last 100 years. I'm not sure, there are 100+ yo companies like Kodak, Nikon, IBM, Panasonic, GSK, Merck, etc. With that in mind, it's not hard for me to imagine that some of the tech giants will also have a presence in hundred years, maybe not as dominant as today, but they could survive.
ang_cire 3y ago
> I can't think of any company that I'd predict to last 100 years. Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Unilever. Easy bet. Coca-Cola is already 137.

taneq 3y ago

Uber's surge pricing is dumb in places where they're competing with traditional taxi ranks. I usually pay $35-$45 for an Uber to/from the airport, but if a couple of flights land at once, suddenly Uber is $85+ and the taxis are only $55.

Ridj48dhsnsh 3y ago
Sounds to me like it's working perfectly. The point of surge pricing is to rebalance supply and demand when demand for rides outstrips supply of drivers, whether by attracting more drivers or by discouraging price sensitive riders. Some riders at the airport will strongly prefer Uber, for whatever reason, so they're less price sensitive than you. Because you're happy to substitute an Uber for a taxi, you decrease the demand as a response to the surge pricing, preserving the limited supply of drivers for the riders who really want them (or are at least are price insensitive enough to pay for that privilege).