An Interest In:
Web News this Week
- April 26, 2024
- April 25, 2024
- April 24, 2024
- April 23, 2024
- April 22, 2024
- April 21, 2024
- April 20, 2024
Some of Our Sources
- Slashdot
- Mashable
- Technology Review
- TutsPlus - Code
- Joshua Blankenship
- Pearsonified
- Smashing Magazine
- TutsPlus - Design
- Creative Curio
- 24 Ways
Help Webnuz
Referal links:
January 14, 2014 03:43 pm GMT
Uber is preparing to launch in several Southeast Asian cities over the next few weeks, said its head of Asian expansion in an interview last week. The well-funded startup’s decision to focus there is a sign of the many opportunities for consumer mobile startups in Southeast Asia. Not only is are there high mobile penetration rates throughout the region, but also a growing base of affluent customers with a taste for luxury products, a bracket Uber wants to position itself in. Uber officially launched in Kuala Lumpur last week. This week it will launch in yet another Southeast Asian city, Uber’s head of Asia operations, Allen Penn, told me. Although the location hasn’t been announced, the company recently started deploying “secret Ubers” in Manila and is seeking a general manager for the capital of the Philippines. It’s also looking for someone to fill the same position in Bangkok. Uber isn’t sharing financial or user metrics for the region, but its strategy is being fueled by $258 million investment led by Google Ventures, which valued the company at $3.5 billion. Part of that funding is earmarked for Uber’s aggressive international expansion strategy. Last year, the company deployed in 12 Asian cities, starting with Singapore in January 2013. Uber’s Competitive Strategy In Southeast Asia Penn answered some questions about potential barriers in the Southeast Asian market. In the region, Uber competes with other taxi-calling apps like Easy Taxi, which is backed by Rocket Internet, as well as local startups like GrabTaxi. Like Uber, both services say their advantages include safety as well as the ability to track taxis in real-time on their apps. In Southeast Asia, Uber wants to differentiate from other taxi and car services by focusing on its premium options, like UberBlack. “I think that we are really focused on building a brand that is really associated with great customer service, a really high feel of quality and a really high level of reliability,” says Penn. In several cities, Uber has met with resistance from local regulatory bodies as well as taxi drivers who view the startup as a threat to their livelihood. The most extreme demonstration of this sentiment recently occurred in Paris, when protesting taxi drivers damaged an Uber car. But in Southeast Asia, Uber may not be competing with taxi services for locals who are already comfortable navigating their city’s transportation options. Instead, a customer base that
Original Link: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/38U4H56EZTk/
Uber Will Focus On Southeast Asia Launches Over The Next Two Months
Uber is preparing to launch in several Southeast Asian cities over the next few weeks, said its head of Asian expansion in an interview last week. The well-funded startup’s decision to focus there is a sign of the many opportunities for consumer mobile startups in Southeast Asia. Not only is are there high mobile penetration rates throughout the region, but also a growing base of affluent customers with a taste for luxury products, a bracket Uber wants to position itself in. Uber officially launched in Kuala Lumpur last week. This week it will launch in yet another Southeast Asian city, Uber’s head of Asia operations, Allen Penn, told me. Although the location hasn’t been announced, the company recently started deploying “secret Ubers” in Manila and is seeking a general manager for the capital of the Philippines. It’s also looking for someone to fill the same position in Bangkok. Uber isn’t sharing financial or user metrics for the region, but its strategy is being fueled by $258 million investment led by Google Ventures, which valued the company at $3.5 billion. Part of that funding is earmarked for Uber’s aggressive international expansion strategy. Last year, the company deployed in 12 Asian cities, starting with Singapore in January 2013. Uber’s Competitive Strategy In Southeast Asia Penn answered some questions about potential barriers in the Southeast Asian market. In the region, Uber competes with other taxi-calling apps like Easy Taxi, which is backed by Rocket Internet, as well as local startups like GrabTaxi. Like Uber, both services say their advantages include safety as well as the ability to track taxis in real-time on their apps. In Southeast Asia, Uber wants to differentiate from other taxi and car services by focusing on its premium options, like UberBlack. “I think that we are really focused on building a brand that is really associated with great customer service, a really high feel of quality and a really high level of reliability,” says Penn. In several cities, Uber has met with resistance from local regulatory bodies as well as taxi drivers who view the startup as a threat to their livelihood. The most extreme demonstration of this sentiment recently occurred in Paris, when protesting taxi drivers damaged an Uber car. But in Southeast Asia, Uber may not be competing with taxi services for locals who are already comfortable navigating their city’s transportation options. Instead, a customer base thatOriginal Link: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/38U4H56EZTk/
Share this article:
Tweet
View Full Article
Techcrunch
TechCrunch is a leading technology blog, dedicated to obsessively profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news.More About this Source Visit Techcrunch