Ride hailing giant Uber is intensifying efforts to transform its platform into a comprehensive “super app” as competition in transportation and digital services continues to grow, particularly with the rise of autonomous vehicle companies and expanding tech ecosystems.

At its recent GO GET product event in New York, Uber unveiled several new features aimed at keeping users within its ecosystem for more aspects of daily life. The company announced a partnership with Expedia Group that allows users in the United States to book from more than 700,000 hotels directly through the Uber app. Members of the company’s Uber One subscription service will also receive discounts and rewards tied to hotel bookings.

Uber further revealed plans to integrate vacation rentals through Vrbo later this year alongside restaurant reservations powered by OpenTable. The company additionally introduced a “Shop for Me” feature that enables customers to purchase items from stores that are not officially listed on Uber’s delivery platform.

According to Praveen Neppalli Naga, Uber’s Chief Technology Officer, the company believes subscription based ecosystems are the key to building a successful super app in the United States. Speaking at TechCrunch’s StrictlyVC event in San Francisco, Naga explained that combining transportation, food delivery, hotels, and other services creates a connected user experience that encourages customers to remain within the Uber ecosystem.

Uber’s strategy comes as several technology firms pursue similar ambitions. Airbnb recently announced transportation partnerships aimed at keeping travelers inside its own application, while X owner Elon Musk continues pushing plans for an “everything app” featuring integrated banking and payment services.

Despite the aggressive expansion, analysts say the American market may not easily support multiple super apps because consumers already rely on specialized applications for transportation, travel, food delivery, and payments. Uber, however, believes its large customer base gives it a competitive advantage since millions of users already store payment information within the app.

The company reported that approximately 50 million users are currently subscribed to Uber One, accounting for nearly half of Uber’s total bookings. Recent earnings also showed strong growth in the Uber Eats division, where delivery revenue rose 34 percent year over year to $5.07 billion during the first quarter, making it one of the company’s fastest growing business segments.

Source: TechCrunch