Thanks to the ongoing process of deep integration of various services within popular apps and platforms, there is a good chance that things will soon be very different when users request for things such as a cab for example. This is not the first time that a cab-hailing app such as Uber is planned to be baked into a larger app.
For example, just recently, Facebook announced recently that they have partnered up with the popular Lyft company and that they will be making their services available via Facebook Messenger. This is part of a larger initiative of Facebook to enable advertising and direct contact between users and companies via their very well liked and lightweight app.
So now, Google is doing something very similar and announcing that there is a Google Maps update in the works and planned to be launched in the near future. This update would add a tab to the app that is dedicated just for ride-hailing services. Depending on your location, the app would be able to offer you a number of options, along with estimated prices for the ride you select. That way, you can pick the best company that is available, the best price you can get or the fastest ride you can find.
This is a rather large-scale project as the update is planned to be rolled out internationally, with each country featuring the most popular cab hailing services embedded in it. For example, in Brazil you’d get 99Taxis integration within Google Maps, in India you would be able to find Ola Cabs, Gett would be available within Germany and Hailo in Spain. With time, Google could add even more companies to the line-up, increasing your chances to get a cab even on the busiest days and periods of the week.
This is an increase of convenience for the user on another level, too. Considering that eventually, more – if not all – cab hailing apps would be added to the Google Maps platform, you won’t have to clog your phone’s storage with a multitude of apps that you need to keep tabbing through whenever you’re desperately looking for a cab from various companies.
Google announced that the Google Maps update will be hitting Android devices exclusively in the first phase, with some devices receiving the new feature as soon as today, with numerous more types of phones receiving it in the next few days. iOS has yet to receive news of when the update will become available on its platform, but it was announcement it would “be coming very soon”.
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