Uber Launched Desktop App on Windows 10

Uber launched its desktop app running on Windows 10 last Wednesday. As part of Universal Windows Platform (UWP), customers are able to access service from desktop, but the app is unable to stand alone.

According to official Microsoft Windows blog, the Uber app is now been updated to be able to run on PCs, tablets and phones running on Windows 10. Uber also offers free ride, up to $20 for new users of Microsoft Windows in the U.S. The new Uber app for Windows 10 is now available for free download from Microsoft Windows Store starting on Wednesday, December 9.

This app is utilizing a new platform from Microsoft called, Universal Windows Platform (UWP), which is introduced in Windows 10, providing a common app platform on every device that runs Windows 10. With UWP, a single app package can be installed onto a wide range of devices. As Yixin Zhu, the Product Team of Uber said, "Through the power of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), Uber is able to deploy a single app through a unified store that delivers the right experience to whatever device downloads the app."

Unfortunately, the app is unable to run as a standalone app. As Venture Beat reported, the app is dead on arrival because the experience is seriously flawed from the get-go. It is because users still need to use their phone in order to access Uber service.

Although, the Uber app is now a universal Windows app, that means users who download the app on their PCs, tablet and phones will get the same app. However, it will need to adapt to its user interface to the device. It also requires its mobile app to complete the trancation, which Venture Beat called as 'terrible' and that is probably Uber's fault more so than Microsoft's.

Moreover, ZDNet reported that there is a problem in the quality of key apps in Microsoft's app store. Based on user reviews for pre-Windows 10 app, the Uber app is inferior to its version for Android and iOS, based on maintenance, features and stability. Last month, according to ZDNet, Uber support staff even reported that Windows Phone users choose to use Uber's Android and iOS app because of better experience.

Uber needs innovation to win the competition in ride sharing business, after its rivals have now joined hands to create a global ride-sharing service. Uber also faces a series of protests in some countries, like the recent one in Toronto, Canada. This new Windows 10 application may be one of the solutions for Uber to attract desktop PC users, which sadly are declining.