4 ms·

> There is enormous brand value in thinking "I'll get an Uber" as a synonym for "I'll get a taxi, but right what I need it, and it probably will smell better."

> There is enormous brand value in thinking "I'll get an Uber" as a synonym for "I'll get a taxi, but right what I need it, and it probably will smell better." There is value of having that app on the phone, with credit card # already in place. Hrm. I see where you're coming from, but I can also imagine opening up Google Maps, clicking directions to go somewhere, and then when it says "press to be picked up by your driverless car", I'd just press that. If it were cheaper than Uber, I wouldn't bother subsequently opening up Uber to look for something. Caveat: I'm a person who currently uses buses and trains because I can't afford Uber. I might not be representative, but I don't care about Uber. I'd be happy to jump ship, and I'm very used to using Google to search for things.

mathattack 12y ago
I'm not saying that Uber wins, just that it has quite a bit of value independently. And similar to Google with search (which learns each time someone searches) there is a reinforcing edge when you're first. The key probably isn't price. I think it will be convenience. If Uber knows to have a car nearby you when you need it, you'll pay a dollar more to save 10 minutes. (Same with Google) I wonder about other entrants... Perhaps Apple? Or Tesla?
- visakanv 12y ago
  From my POV of Tesla's mission, I think Tesla would be happy to bow out of this fight and probably go into battery production/innovation. Giga-factory and all. I think for ME as a consumer, I will prioritize price over convenience unless I'm in a huge rush... so as long as the car arrives in 20-mins ish, I'll pick the cheaper option. But I suppose someone will aim to be hyper-fast, and someone will aim to be hyper-cheap. Pretty exciting to be a consumer either way! (I'm probably being naive...)
  - smeyer 12y ago
    >so as long as the car arrives in 20-mins ish I have to say, this is not a use case that any of my friends typically use when using Uber right now. Often it's people going to work or to meet up with other people (20 minutes makes you very late), going to a show or other event (same), or going home after some event/night out (waiting 20 minutes is a pain in the ass, since you're not at home). A 20 minute delay could be acceptable for running errands and such, but I think that is a pretty small fraction of Uber's current market.
- jarek 12y ago
  > I wonder about other entrants... Perhaps Apple? Because Apple's other attempts at SaaS are going so well? You'll call an Apple Car but it'll go to Blackberry offices instead.
  - mathattack 12y ago
    Apple is getting into automotives - the question is for what. They're hiring engineers away from the other auto firms. I think it's for something bigger than car stereos.
    - jarek 12y ago
      Given the new campus they're building it's probably for self-driving cars to bring engineers lunch /s

mathattack 12y ago

I'm not saying that Uber wins, just that it has quite a bit of value independently. And similar to Google with search (which learns each time someone searches) there is a reinforcing edge when you're first. The key probably isn't price. I think it will be convenience. If Uber knows to have a car nearby you when you need it, you'll pay a dollar more to save 10 minutes. (Same with Google) I wonder about other entrants... Perhaps Apple? Or Tesla?

visakanv 12y ago
From my POV of Tesla's mission, I think Tesla would be happy to bow out of this fight and probably go into battery production/innovation. Giga-factory and all. I think for ME as a consumer, I will prioritize price over convenience unless I'm in a huge rush... so as long as the car arrives in 20-mins ish, I'll pick the cheaper option. But I suppose someone will aim to be hyper-fast, and someone will aim to be hyper-cheap. Pretty exciting to be a consumer either way! (I'm probably being naive...)
- smeyer 12y ago
  >so as long as the car arrives in 20-mins ish I have to say, this is not a use case that any of my friends typically use when using Uber right now. Often it's people going to work or to meet up with other people (20 minutes makes you very late), going to a show or other event (same), or going home after some event/night out (waiting 20 minutes is a pain in the ass, since you're not at home). A 20 minute delay could be acceptable for running errands and such, but I think that is a pretty small fraction of Uber's current market.
jarek 12y ago
> I wonder about other entrants... Perhaps Apple? Because Apple's other attempts at SaaS are going so well? You'll call an Apple Car but it'll go to Blackberry offices instead.
- mathattack 12y ago
  Apple is getting into automotives - the question is for what. They're hiring engineers away from the other auto firms. I think it's for something bigger than car stereos.
  - jarek 12y ago
    Given the new campus they're building it's probably for self-driving cars to bring engineers lunch /s