You can book a Uber ride without ever leaving Google Maps—even if you don’t have the Uber app installed on your device.
Once you sign into your existing Uber account (or create one), you can book an Uber ride, track your driver on the map, and connect with your driver—all from within the Google Maps app.
The earlier integration had just enabled location of nearest Uber cab (i.e. availability) within the Google map – this takes the integration to the next level (i.e. without the Uber app).
D for Distribution
For Uber, this marks its biggest distribution partnership – when a product starts to live outside the form, it has truly arrived!
Interestingly, Uber was once bidding for Nokia’s HERE mapping service (for $3Bn), in order to get rid of the dependency on Google maps!
Life is a…
