Uber was the first to apply the business model of co-consumption and the economy on demand and boarded the whole world. The destabilization of the traditional taxi market does not prevent Uber from positioning itself, first of all, as a technology and not a transport company. And this is justified – exemplary service and effective technical solutions – exactly what led the company to resounding success.
Since the company was founded in 2009, it has gained many followers in various fields of business. From courier delivery to the hotel industry. But even in 2018, Uber remains the most famous ride-sharing service and one of the most expensive startups in the world.
This project has inspired many businessmen and most of them having a similar business striving hard to create app like Uber.
A standard uber-like application should be able to place and accept a travel request, send notifications, determine geolocation and make payments in real time. These functions will be discussed in more detail later.
The first thing to keep in mind when starting up your project is that Uber is more than just an application. For the service to work with a similar concept, 4 components are required:
- Mobile application for passengers;
- Mobile application for drivers;
- Admin panel for monitoring and managing work processes by the administrator and the owner;
- A server on which travel histories, fares, user and driver databases and much more will be stored.
It is impossible not to mention that Uber has an official web portal. However, the site’s function is rather informational, while the 4 listed components are vital for the service to work. Considering the following main functions and technologies of Uber is mandatory if you want to create similar app like Uber:
Geolocation
Geolocation is a fundamental technology for Uber. The set of tools for obtaining geolocation data depends on the chosen application platform – Uber is available on the App Store and Google Play.
IOS: in mobile applications on iOS, the Location framework is in authority for defining the location of a mobile and its direction in space. Core Location also tracks the movement of the mobile device and sends to the server data on the change in location at a frequency resolute by the developer in advance.
Android: the same features are available thanks to Google’s Location APIs, which offer smart solutions for locating and surrounding a user’s device and tracking the movements up to journey’s end. Uber uses the Google Maps to plot the route and calculate the shortest distance.
On top of everything else, on both platforms, Uber is integrated with Google Maps. Now users can choose a tariff and also contact him without having to open the official Uber app.
Notifications
Uber usually sends notifications in three cases:
- The driver accepts the passenger’s order;
- The driver is a minute away from the passenger’s seat;
- Order cancelled.
Notifications can be sent in the format of push and SMS messages, as well as emails. The decision about which notification method to choose is made by the user.
Push notifications
IOS: Apple uses the Apple Push Notifications Service (APNs) to send notifications to devices.
Android: Similar functions for Android-based applications are performed using Google Cloud Messaging.
Important: Push and SMS notifications have their own technical nuances. If the user’s device is turned off or inaccessible, there is a high risk that the Push message will arrive with a delay, or not at all. At the same time, APNs, unlike Google’s Cloud Messaging service, do not allow to accurately track whether a notification was received by the user. In this sense, SMS messages are more stable. Your SMS provider will promptly inform you in case of any delivery problems.
Integration with payment systems
Despite the fact that the cash payment option is already available in some cities, Uber is still heading for cashless payments. One of the main difficulties associated with the global growth of the company was the issue of payment security, geography of presence and support of various types of currency.
For these reasons, Uber is working with the payment giant PayPal, which allow you to pay for the trip. Payment security is directly related to the technical solutions of the selected systems, which have long established themselves as reliable providers whose services comply with the latest PCI DSS security standards.
Uber-like application development – Team, timeline and cost
To develop a project like Uber, you need a team of at least 5-6 specialists. The number of specialists can vary depending on various factors and priorities of the project: extended application functionality, deadlines, potential risks, and much more.
The same with the cost of the project: the determining factor here is experience, bid, and the number of developers.
