Is Uber the First-ever Taxi Booking App?
You might have heard the word “Uberization”. Originally coming from the name of a company, the term was included in the dictionaries.
Uberization means changing the whole market through mobile technologies to provide a variety of on-demand services, from taxi booking to delivery of different kinds of goods.
Sure, Uber is the most famous taxi-hailing and delivery app. Was it a pioneer in taxi booking app development?
Many people believe so, though it’s not true.
In 2008, a year ahead of Uber, the first-ever taxi app was launched under the name of Taxi Magic.
Does it sound familiar to you? Probably not, because the current name of this app is Curb. Here is a 2008 article on TechCrunch about its launch to AppStore.
Curb and Uber have always been competing in the American market.
Curb
The US-based, it’s working across 65 cities nationwide, including megalopolises like New York City and Los Angeles.
Revenue: $102 million
Passengers can choose from a scheduled or instant ride or simply hail the Curb taxi on the street. Services also include the choice of music, air conditioning, wheelchair, baby seat, and other things one may need.
The company focuses on comfort and lower prices to compete with Uber.
Curb users’ favorite features:
- Choose from licensed, insured drivers
- Hail a car on the street
- Pay by card, PayPal, or cash
- Use referral links for free rides
Uber
Launched in 2009 in San Francisco, it’s one of the world-famous taxi booking apps. Today, it’s available in over 600 cities and still expanding all over the globe, while many startup owners ask themselves how to make an app exactly like Uber and how much it will cost.
Revenue: $14,15 billion
The service offers various categories (UberBlack, UberX, UberGo, etc.) to suit each customer’s needs and budget. The company is constantly experimenting with formats, adding food delivery, parcel delivery, etc.
Uber users’ favorite features:
- Share your trip tracking with friends or family
- Add several drop-off points
- Schedule a trip and view trip history
- Rate drivers (passengers)
- Choose a preferred driver
Uber eventually spread wider around the world, and these days its primary competitor is Lyft.
Read also:
How to Create an App Like Uber — Exceed Team’s Experience
How to Build an App Like Uber Eats
Here at Exceed Team we offer cutting-edge app development and can make an app like Uber for any business, from a restaurant to car repair.
