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You can now book Uber rides from within Google Maps
Google Inc. has updated its Maps app to allow Uber users to book their rides directly within the search giant’s app itself.
The new feature, an extension of basic support for Uber rides announced back in 2014, allows users to search, browse, request and pay for an Uber directly from Google Maps. Perhaps more significantly, users don’t have to have the Uber app installed on their phone to make a booking, since they can sign into an Uber account from within Google Maps.
Google has focused on ease of use with the new Uber integration. Booking a ride is as simple as picking a destination within Maps and then selecting the new ride-hailing tab that appears next to options such as by car, walking and transit.
A tap on the ride-hailing option gives a user Uber ride options, including estimated fees and arrival times. Once a ride is selected, a user picks a credit card and the ride is booked.
Notably, the Uber integration in Google Maps doesn’t skimp on features, with car tracking, driver ratings, arrival times and the driver call button all available.
Google Maps users can explore other features while in transit with Uber, including the ability to research their destination and, where supported, make restaurant reservations.
If you’re not an Uber user but prefer the competition, the new version of Google Maps also provides partial support for Lyft, Gett and Hailo. They can obtain information from those services when selecting the ride-hailing option in the app, but final booking still requires the specific app for the service to be installed.
The new Uber integration may on the surface appear redundant, given that using the Uber app itself isn’t exactly rocket science. But as anyone who uses Uber regularly knows, the app has a tendency to suck battery life at a rate similar to a vampire drinking blood at a donor center.
Google Maps doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to feasting on battery power either, having only one of the two apps open at the one time will result in less battery drain for most users.
The new version of Google Maps with Uber support is being rolled out globally starting today for both iOS and Android devices.
Image courtesy of Google
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