Is uber not profitable?
unlike other comments, I’d argue, like most tech, it was incredibly profitable for anyone except the people funding it.
Business is not about extracting money from goods and services, it’s about tricking VC funders to give you 50 million dollars a year
Their whole business model is “wait for self driving and then $$$” as they’ll no longer have to pay anybody.
“In 2023, Uber reported its first annual profit since going public in 2019, with a net income of $1.9 billion. This follows a period of consistent losses for the company.”
Hilariously unprofitable. They even came up with creative accounting to show how, despite never being profitable they may turn a profit if you don’t count their debts and losses.
Uber’s true business model isn’t in place yet. Eventually, all cars will be self-driving, and they can ditch the drivers. The ultimate objective is to replace personal car ownership with a driving service.
Once they don’t have to pay drivers, and they have monthly fees coming in from millions of subscribers, they’ll clean up.
So their entire company is built on the gamble that self-driving cars will happen before their finances implode?
I’d argue that this is what they pitch to their investors to continue to fund them. They probably partly believe it but I don’t think they really look that much further than the next quarter.
Yep, its on their website.
Thanks for the input.
In my opinion, this is definitely copium on uber’s part. Taking on far more debt to try to be a public utility level of too big to fail is laughable. There is always an end stage they need to sell that is bigger and better.
I think you’re wrong on this one.
Currently uber does not own anything. Repair costs are for the drivers. Buying a car is for the drivers.
If they are not profitable now, replacing driver’s “wage” will only make it more expensive.
I’m not wrong, it’s on their website:
At Uber, it’s our mission to reimagine the way the world moves for the better—and it’s clear that autonomous vehicles (AVs) will play a part in our future. With that in mind, we have been building Uber for the road ahead.
Then they go onto describe how they are going to use driverless vehicles for personal mobility, delivery, and freight.
I wouldn’t put it past them to still use other people’s self driving cars.
Never has been Earth astronauts gun meme
No, but fr Uber is a masterclass in creative accounting and strategic acquisitions for further creative accounting.
Did not expect Uber entering to pimp industry.
Both see the same offer, neither get the money
I don’t say this much but that is actually a good idea, considering the amount of people that live very lonely and isolated lives. Maybe this can help some people to talk, enjoy another’s company, etc. Maybe. Everything else the effing internet and tech companies tried only managed to push people apart…
Except that it gives predators an easy way to be alone with drunk women. I wouldn’t trust Uber’s security checks.
Same risk with a driver, I’d guess.
Yeah but this is more accessible to those who don’t have good enough credit for a car.
You don’t have to trust the security checks, but they had to submit their personal information and documents to Uber, and would be easy to find if they did anything. And have two devices actively recording their location. That’s much better than an anonymous stranger, and I doubt a predator would go through all that instead of just, you know, remaining an anonymous person on the street.
sure, it’s nice to do something about loneliness. Makes me think of human libraries, where you can borrow a human to have a talk with. But please, let’s do these things voluntarily and not for profit. There’s something nasty about “I’m only willing to speak to you if you pay me”.
Isn’t that a japanese thing? With cafes where you go to talk with a person?
But back to the subject at hand.
I could see this as a way to get someone’s help to take some groceries home or some large object a single person can’t, as it is too akward to hold alone.
Or as a personal guide or to have company to go to/through somewhere someone does not feel comfortable.
Uber invented escorts
rent a girlfriend?
Dude there’s probably a business in that. People typically just get hookers for that weird situation where a rich powerful man has to go to an event and bring a plus one, and he can’t find a woman who doesn’t hate him so he has to rent one by the hour.
Make it an app. Fuck it. Lets let the business majors ruin that too.
there have been many attempts but unfortunately the evangelicals control the banks/payment processors so it hasn’t happened
They usually get escorts, which actually isn’t the same thing as a hooker and not all of them actually do sex work. I have no idea why I know anything about that, but it was something I was just kinda aware of as a young adult.
“not all of them actually do sex work” is one of those fictions that everyone on all sides is happy to play along with.
I’ve always understood it to be more “sex isn’t guaranteed if you’re a big enough asshole and sometimes they’re a beard”
And some men pay hookers “just to talk.” Sure they do.
It does happen, but it’s once in a blue moon and not something that can keep a whole business model going.
Is the hand holding optional or?
Compulsory.
Your preference will be determined through biometrics and you will be billed on a scale determine by your Uber rating.
This is routing from LaGuardia airport in NY, meaning the “walking” route has you taking a subway. Maybe the walking buddy is a local NYC thing meant for people who want assistance navigating the trains. I never see this on my app tho so it must have been a trial feature.
I’m hoping (praying) that since this is a shitposting sub, you and I both are just particularly gullible and this is not an actual thing.
I thought for sure it was fake until I noticed the map was my neighborhood 😂
Ah yes, the escort service.
Why is the walking buddy holding hands? Are they letting you know Kevin is single and ready to mingle?
“Drop off” makes it sound like he’ll carry you.
For $7.50 I’d unironically use a walking buddy at least once
For safety in numbers, or talk therapy?
Novelty?
That’s literally the only reason to me. I’d be so weird for 20min that he’ll talk about it for a decade.
Them: white Kevin
You: dressed in a full body banana costume while awkwardly carrying a cinder block. Refuse to explain why, or talk about anything except a ranked list of the worst smells you’ve ever experienced. Destination is a closed public library at 2am. Say “well, it’s time to do the thing I came here to do.” Stand, watching them until they walk away.
You know… There’s a lot of women that wouldn’t dare to walk alone at night. That white Kevin has been vetted by Uber and has a paper trail.
How about not just a white Kevin but an Armed Stacey, or a security guard Michelle.
of course, it’d probably cost MORE to get someone to walk with you because they’d have to not only drive there and walk but walk back.
Vetted by Uber doesn’t really mean much.
Especially because there’s a huge industry for fake driver accounts so literally anyone can buy an uber ‘employment’.
How do they get by having their actual picture?
Guess people don’t look too closely? nfi tbh.
If Jimmy shows up in a black Toyota Camry with the right license plate, that’s one thing.
I’d like to think that if Jimmy is your walking buddy, you might notice these kinds of things, tho :)
About to rent me one
OP is such a damn troll, lmfao.
This would be legitimately amazing.
