11 Awesome New Things Uber Can Do
We’ve been known to hitch a ride with Uber home from the office on a late night or two. Any company that saves us money on taxi fare is a-okay in our (check)book, and Uber has been known to do more than just get you from A to B in their day — they deliver ice cream, give away free weddings, write your name in the sky, even help you clean out your closet. And now, they’re opening their API and partnering with a slew of new companies to mash up some of your favorite apps with the convenience of an on-demand private car.
An open API means that companies ‘ developers can integrate their services into the third-party app, ultimately giving their customers (YOU!) a new spin on your user experience. The trendy transportation biz has officially teamed up with 11 to do just that — and it got our wheels turning about all the new ways you’ll be able to use it. We brainstormed 11 below!
1. Expensify: If you’re an Expensify user and Uber home from the office or around town when traveling, the integrated service (called SmartRides) will help you out majorly. Once your plane lands (and you turn your phone back on), the Expensify app can send you an alert to request a car of your choice that will be waiting for you as soon as you leave the airport to bring you straight to your hotel. See ya later, taxi queue.
2. Hinge: Once you find the person that’s total relationship material on this dating app, chat it up and pick a meeting spot. Then, select the “Ride There With Uber” button to get to your date on time and in style.
3. Hyatt Hotels + Resorts: Using the Hyatt app, you can now request an Uber to your hotel right from the moment you book a room.
4. Momento: When you can’t remember the name of that cute little shop you bought that cute little trinket at on your trip to Santa Fe, Momento x Uber will help you out. The app that captures your moments is now allowing you to effortlessly collect your Uber trip history.
5. OpenTable: For those who don’t already use this awesome service, OpenTable allows you to easily snag reservations at restaurants across the country. Now, you can request an Uber to get you to that fancy resto through the app — and your driver will already know the address! Hello, date night.
6. Starbucks: The latte giant hasn’t announced what they’re going to do with Uber just yet, but we’re seeing a much easier way to surprise the office with a cappuccino, coffee cake break in our future…
7. Tempo Smart Calendar: It’s always the “getting there” that’s the most stressful part, whether you have a scheduled training session at the gym or a client dinner. We’re hoping you’ll be able to sync your Tempo app with Uber and the details on your calendar will be sent straight to the driver, who will be waiting to bring you straight to your destination.
8. Time Out: A magazine that’s known for bringing us the best places to eat, shop and party in cities across the nation has teamed up with Uber so that you can arrive to your destination looking fly. Whether you’re attending a friend’s birthday party at the hottest nightclub or going to a museum with you beau, you can decide how fancy schmancy your ride is.
9. TripAdvisor: Taking a vacay? Say goodbye to asking strangers and drivers for directions or trying to navigate your way around a new city. Simply use the integrated Uber button (“Ride There With Uber”) to get around. It’ll tell you the estimated arrival time and the cost of the ride.
10. TripCase: Let’s say you’re traveling in LA without a car (we’re stressing out already). Request an Uber to get to and from the destinations on your TripCase itinerary (from the Hollywood sign to Rodeo Drive, for example) without having to look up any addresses in your map app.
11. United Airlines: Don’t you just hate standing in the taxi queue after a long flight? Or what about trying to catch a cab in the middle of a busy day when you need to get to the airport? If you’re flying United (and using the app), the new Uber integration allows you to see the ETAs of the closest drivers along with fare estimates.
We’re excited to see what’s next for Uber partnerships — imagine if your favorite store joins in and picks you up from shopping sprees… on the same day as big sales?! That‘s something we could totally get behind.
Which partnership are you most excited about? What company would you like to see Uber team up with next? Talk to us below!