Uber’s First Acquisition Will Be Mapping Tech Startup deCarta

Uber’s First Acquisition Will Be Mapping Tech Startup deCarta

Uber is on course to make its first acquisition with San Jose-based mapping tech startup deCarta in its headlights.
DeCarta provides a range of location and map services, including in-map search, location APIs, turn-by-turn navigation and more. A deal to buy the startup was first reported by Mashable, but Uber has confirmed that it is near to closing an undisclosed deal.
An Uber representative told TechCrunch that the acquisition will help “fine-tune” the company’s services:
A lot of the functionality that makes the Uber app so reliable, affordable and seamless is based on mapping technologies. With the acquisition of deCarta, we will continue to fine-tune our products and services that rely on maps – for example UberPOOL, the way we compute ETAs, and others – and make the Uber experience even better for our users.
There might just be more to it too.
Aside from being Uber’s first acquisition — a fact that is surprisingly when you consider the company’s $40 billion valuation and the billions upon billions that it has raised from investors — the deal is notable because it could have the potential to lessen Uber’s reliance on Google, and Google Maps in particular.
Google is an investor in Uber — courtesy of its largest investment ever — but the two companies are believed to have a fairly tense relationship. That was particularly evident last month when we reported that Uber had opened a robotics research facility in Pittsburgh aimed at developing self-driving cars — yes, the very same concept that Google has been working on for some time. (Added to that, there have been unsubstantiated rumors that Google is developing its own Uber rival.)
Beyond just making vehicles, Uber is using its mountains of cash to build all the technologies for its driver-less cars itself, as we reported:
Uber will be developing the core technology, the vehicles, and associated infrastructure at this Pittsburgh facility, according to sources. They have already hired a number of employees and made moves to outfit them with software, including a multi-hundred-thousand dollar investment in third-party engineering workstations.
Given that backdrop, buying a company in the maps space makes absolute sense, and would provide both long- and short-term value to its business.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why I Wake Up Early (And 9 Reasons You Should Do So Too)

Here are 9 reasons why I say this: 1. Get a head start When you wake up at 5am, you start your day earlier than 99.9% of the world — hence giving you a head start in your day. This creates a feel-good factor, which, while psychological, creates a host of positive effects (especially for reasons #2 and #3 in the list). After all, a good start is half the battle won. It will motivate you to stay ahead so you can maintain or even widen the lead. For example, my modus operandi when I wake up early is to work on the high-impact tasks right away, as opposed to the small, easy but unimportant tasks. I will also think and work effectively, and strive to end my day earlier so that I can have an early sleep, wake up early the next day, and continue my “head start.” On the whole, I’d say that I’m more forward thinking and proactive in managing my tasks — since I have a head start in my day, I naturally think about how I can be ahead in my work too. On the other hand, when I wake up ...
Read more

Google launches OnHub, a simple, expensive Wi-Fi router

Image
Hate your finicky Wi-Fi router? Google does too, apparently. Google announced Tuesday that it's making a Wi-Fi router called OnHub, which is designed to alleviate the typical frustrations of buggy routers. It is partnering with TP-Link for the $199 router, available for immediate preorder. Google's preorder page already lists it as out of stock. In terms of design, the OnHub doesn't really look like any router before it. It eschews the usual antennas, wires and blinking lights for a large cylindrical shape with just one large light at the top. Google's cylindrical OnHub router. IMAGE: GOOGLE Google thinks there are benefits to this design: In its announcement post, it explains many people keep unsightly routers hidden away under desks and behind TVs where they don't work as well.  If the router is more pleasing to the eye, Google says, people will be more likely to keep it out in the open. A win-win. Within the cy...
Read more

2 iPhone Apps to Manage Expenses and Budget Efficiently

Image
2 iPhone Apps to Manage Expenses and Budget Efficiently Ads by Google While budgeting might not be one of the most exciting things to do (I’m sure a lot of people consider it boring and tedious), it is an extremely important activity that every household should undertake. With budgeting, you are able to plan your financial life and afford things you need and like. In short, proper budgeting lets you enjoy life to the fullest through sound financial planning. And while the task might indeed feel a bit like a chore for some, the good news is that you don’t need to make this a complex process. In fact, there are several apps out there that help people take care of their finances, and some of them allow you to do it in a very simple way, without creating complex online profiles or adding your bank accounts if you don’t want to. So if you want to know more about two such iPhone apps, read along. Pocket Expense Created by developer Appxy, Pocket Expense lets yo...
Read more