Correct me , I don't find it as a Uber rival . I think they are trying to promote car pool which is much needed here in India , only problem I see is security of passsengers
Google launches Uber rival RideWith
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Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#72When google announced Uber integration in their maps, I called it a trojan horse [1] Basically making maps the interface for ride sharing and then adding their own service on top. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7705706
I'd assumed that integration was more about learning Uber's fleet size at different times, how long people are willing to wait for a car, what locations they request from, etc.
I'm sure UBER injects noise into their map requests, and since many drivers use an iPhone , It's hard for Google to filter that noise.
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
The difference is that carpooling is legal. What Uber and Lyft are doing is not in most markets.
What relevance does this have to the parent, or my, comment?
The relevance is that a $5.9b valuation is dubious when it's based on an illegal enterprise. That "value" can disappear in an instant when municipalities start cracking down.
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
For the same reason they don't make washing machines, or sell apples, or build houses - they believe their money is better spent on other things. Apple think they'll make more money in the long term innovating on consumer electronics. That said, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an Apple car within 5 years of the first autonomous vehicles going on public sale.
Maybe we'll see an Apple car. But i suspect in general ,that self-driving cars and especially taxis would push the car market to derive much less value from branding and marketing and much more value from hardcore technology with design being much less a differentiator than today - at least for the mass market. But even if Apple sells cars to 5% of the population , it could be a big business for them.
>i suspect in general ,that self-driving cars and especially taxis would push the car market to derive much less value from branding and marketing and much more value from hardcore technology with design being much less a differentiator than today
Why?
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#75Is it me or is Google doing the Microsoft "Me too!" with all these things they're trying and then closing down a few months later?
It's usually a knee-jerk reaction to not being able to buy the original. Big and hairy company threats small company that they'll "crush them" if they refuse an acquisition offer, small company actually refuses, big and hairy company rushes to launch competitor just to follow through, even if it makes little business sense, big and hairy company knock off fails to get traction, small company thrives, and everyone forgets.
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#76Who takes an Uber to work?
I lot of my friends in the bay area use Uber actually to get to and/or from work. I find it rather insane with all the other transit options and you know, walking? But to each their own.
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#77Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#78I had no idea Waze was acquired by google. I wish they would just combine the best of waze with the best of google maps into one app that just works.
They do to some extent. Traffic alerts/incidents reported from Waze show up on Google maps.
I'm fairly certain directions in Google Maps integrate some sort of dynamic Waze navigation routes. This weekend Google Maps routed us around the highway due to heavy traffic, which is not what it used to do. There was no accident or roadwork, just traffic.
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe we'll see an Apple car. But i suspect in general ,that self-driving cars and especially taxis would push the car market to derive much less value from branding and marketing and much more value from hardcore technology with design being much less a differentiator than today - at least for the mass market. But even if Apple sells cars to 5% of the population , it could be a big business for them.
>i suspect in general ,that self-driving cars and especially taxis would push the car market to derive much less value from branding and marketing and much more value from hardcore technology with design being much less a differentiator than today Why?
What model of car was the last taxi you took? Did you pick that taxi because of its stylish design? In contrast, were you impressed that the driver knew a shortcut to avoid traffic by getting off one exit early and going through a parking garage?
Re: Google launches Uber rival RideWith
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't follow the question. Why doesn't Walmart?
Apple(and Google) has unique advantages as the owners of the major platforms, and and major mapping apps, with access to all travel data. Those are major building blocks of such a travel service.
Mapping data isn't travel data. One is useful for representing the world, the other is only useful for marketing data.