App news roundup 27 September

There has been lots of app news over the last few weeks, with big changes for several big name apps. To help you keep your finger on the pulse and ensure you’re fully up to date as you focus on our mobile app business-in-a-box opportunity , we’ve rounded up all of key developments here for you…

Uber merges major apps in platform shakeup

Uber has announced that it will merge its two biggest apps in a major update. The firm’s Uber Eats for takeaway order delivery and its original ride sharing app, Uber will be consolidated as part of sweeping platform changes.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced the overhaul in a keynote speech at a product launch event in San Francisco on Thursday. In addition to merging the two apps, the platform will also get several additions, including a new public transport feature, as part of the firm’s ambitions to create an “operating system for daily life”. In total, more than 25 changes were previewed, with the feature showing public transport options nearby perhaps the most surprising, given it directs would be customers elsewhere.

Khosrowshani says this is part of a wider aim to provide a more total transport solution via its apps, saying “We have the philosophy that if there’s a better product out there for the user, and we think an integrated movement solution is better for the user, we should be the ones competing against ourselves versus others doing it.”

Other features announced at the California event include a four digit pin number for passengers to confirm they are getting in the right vehicle for safety reasons and expansion of its Uber Rewards loyalty scheme. Under the Uber Eats banner, users can now expect to find more digital only restaurants in the app, kicking off with an exclusive 10 week digital pop up with celebrity chef Rachel Ray.

Google removes apps after cost complaints

Google has removed several apps from the Play Store after determining that they were overcharging users after an initial free trial period. An investigation by security research firm Sophos Labs unveiled the practice – it discovered that some apps were charging users over $104 after the free trial period extended for basic apps such as QR code readers and barcode scanners.

The researchers said, “With millions of installations, in some cases, if even a small percentage of users forget to cancel their subscription before the trial period lapses, app creators can make significant money.” While strictly speaking, this isn’t against Google’s regulations for app developers, it has removed several of the apps from Play Store after receiving the research report.