Uber promises that its latest update will get you to your destination faster — you can now integrate your calendar directly with the on-demand ride hailing service. When you do, Uber will automatically display locations or people you’re scheduled to meet so you won’t have to fidget around for an address.
Calendar integration support was first introduced in November, when the company rolled out a major redesign. Today it’s expanding to riders around the world, enabling anyone to sync their phone’s native calendar with the Uber app so that “shortcuts” will automatically appear at the bottom of the screen when the app is opened.
This is the most recent instance of Uber tapping machine learning to further its mission of taking care of the first and last miles. The company is using multiple data sources to find out more about riders, with the aim of providing a smarter and streamlined experience — or at least that’s what Uber wants us to think. Uber has data about everything from our normal travel patterns and usage to our contact list, and now our calendars, which it can use to predict when and where we’ll need a ride.
Having an integrated calendar may be beneficial if you’re in a rush and don’t want to dig through emails, appointment notifications, or search online for an address. This could be useful if you’re heading to the airport or a meeting, or have a deadline you need to make. The only thing you have to worry about is whether your calendar event has an associated address — otherwise it won’t be much help.
To opt in, go to Settings and then Calendar Events in the app’s menu. There you’ll be able to complete the process. You can also select the car in the Uber feed. This new feature is available only for those on iOS, but Android support is expected “soon.”
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