It seems traveling by car will become more pleasant as the new Trip Experiences feature will be launched by Uber. It all begun with the introduction of Uber API that has given access to all app developers to the Uber system. Thus, applications can now access trip history, display pickup times, transfer a destination to Uber, provide fare estimates and so on. Trip Experiences is set to allow developers to activate their services during the Uber ride.
More precisely, you will be able to use the time of your trip in a useful or entertaining way. Third-party developers will receive information when you are on a Uber trip, if you are waiting for your ride, how much time the trip will take, as well as track the location of the Uber car, and the pickup location and destination. For instance, if your trip takes ten minutes, you will have access to a ten minute playlist from Spotify of your preferred music genre. If you wish to find out the latest news in just five minutes, you will be provided with a five minute news update. Furthermore, if you are planning a night out, you will be given restaurant reviews, reminders to turn off the lights when you leave your house or turn on the heat when you return.
However, if you prefer a peaceful ride you can always turn off these notifications, since Uber does use permissions. Lastly, Uber users will earn virtual points for each trip they make, which can lead to real-life rewards. The new service is also a great opportunity for advertising, which might become annoying for users, but the company has already warned developers that they will not be able to distribute unwanted promotions or spam.
Uber is available in over three hundred cities and is valued at $6.2 billion. This is truly the biggest update for the company after the introduction of Ride Request last year. The change comes as Uber is trying to improve its services and transform into something more than just a car service, as well as attract more users. Its plans include package and food delivery, self-driving cars and partnering with third-party apps such as Facebook Messenger, OpenTable, United Airlines and StubHub.
There is currently no information on when the new Trip Experiences feature will be launched by Uber, but we can assume it will happen quite soon. Uber has to face a fierce competition, from both traditional taxi drivers and similar services like Lyft.
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