Uber was officially launched in 2010 and to inaugurate Uber, its founders needed to attract both the riders and the drivers simultaneously towards this brand. Uber was launched in San Francisco because the people of San Francisco are eager to accept the new technologies and new inventions. So, it was easier for people there to accept its new business model.
To encourage new riders, Uber allows a discount of 50% which is a great strategy to let the people start using it. Once they experience it with a positive notion, they can become long-term clients of Uber. Uber Car Hire had such a brilliant go-to-market strategy which cannot be repeated in future. If you must develop an App like Uber you need a different story for your brand name.
What is the Technology Stack of Uber?
Everybody knows what the scenario of Uber is, how it works. Firstly, you let the Uber know that you are looking for an Uber driver. As a result, Uber asks you where you are to pick you up. Afterwards, Uber finds a driver in your nearby location to pick you up. After your ride is finished, Uber inquires you to rate it that how was the quality of your ride. You immediately rate the ride and the cost is automatically charged to your credit card or online payment account. So the main question is what technologies Uber depend upon.
Geolocation:
Uber was called a location-based startup from day one by its co-founder. To develop Uber, both founders were required to understand the requirements and limitations of iOS and Android geolocation quirks.
Technology has made great progress and it has become easier to get information about the location quirks.
1. Identifying a Device’s Location: For iOS users, the CoreLocation framework is used to locate a user’s device by the Uber app. Location delivery is provided by classes and protocols to configure and schedule. Thus, the location events are sent to the server. It is noticed when the device crosses the boundaries. Google locations APIs were used for Android users. The underlying location technology can b easily managed while fulfilling various development requirements.
2. Providing Driving Directions: For iOS, MapKit was used by the developers of the Uber app, to display point-to-point directions on a map. Whereas, the Android routing and directions guide are functional due to the Google Maps Android API.
3. Integrating with Mapping Software: Since it was a location-based service, Google Maps for both iPhone and Android versions was implemented effectively. Integration with Uber is allowed in the case of Google Maps.
However, Google Maps is not the only service that is used by Uber Car Hire. Furthermore, Uber buys mapping technology companies to solve the logistic issues rather than relying on Google entirely.
Push Notifications and SMS service:
After you have ordered a ride, Uber sends you a few notifications. When a driver accepts your request to the moment driver is less than a minute away. You also get notified when the ride is cancelled for any reason. These messages can be obtained as SMS or push notifications. Uber text messages are powered by Twilio telecommunications provider company. For the iOS app, Uber uses Apple push notification service and for Android app, they must use Google Cloud Messaging (GCM).
Payment Integration:
Uber offers a brilliant cashless system. The payment can be made via a credit card or a debit card or by using a promo code. This eliminates the chances of theft and secures the ride. Also, any human-to-human transfer of cash is avoided at any cost, including tips. Whereas, Uber takes only 25 % of a driver’s fare which proves Uber to be a very profitable business model.
A secure environment is ensured by all the companies that process, store or transmit credit card information. It also applies to any merchant with merchant id (MID). Uber partners with Braintree, one of the pioneers in the mobile payment market, to accept the card payments efficiently.
Credit Card App:
Uber has another exciting feature. It also uses PayPal’s Card.io service for the scanning of the credit card on iOS. This allows you to input your credit card information by just holding up the credit card in front of your phone’s camera. The app captures the card’s picture, reads the numbers and inputs the information on your behalf. Whereas with Android, you must input your credit card information manually.
PayPal Integration:
Uber is integrated with the PayPal system which means that clients can pay for the Uber services directly from their PayPal accounts. Though this feature is not available in the global market of Uber. You have also the facility of splitting your fare with your friends.
How much does it Cost to Build a Similar App?
When you try developing an app like Uber, you are working on two ends. An app for riders and an app for the drivers make the real Uber-like app. You would need to pay for the listed services to develop an app like Uber.
- Design
- iOS and Android app development
- Backend development
- Web development
- Project management
- Quality assurance
The estimated time it takes to build a taxi-hailing app is somewhere around 5000 hours. The cost depends on the service providers hourly rates, varying from 18£ to 120£ per hour.
What is the Conclusive Notion?
Since you are interested in building an app like Uber, you must know how much money this business earns. Uber takes 25% commission per ride and the rest goes to interest, taxes and equity-based compensations for employees. Most of the money earned by Uber is transferred to anti-fraud efforts, credit card processing, customer support etc. Further money goes to its marketing and software development. A huge and extensive effort of a big team is required to build an app like Uber and it is very tough to compete with Uber since it has met all the challenges it faced courageously.