Google Maps Expands Taxi Booking Beyond Uber

Google Maps TaxiGoogle has added five taxi booking services to its Google Maps integration, which it originally launched with Uber all the way back in November 2014.

When users search for direction in the Maps app, the cost of a taxi journey is shown alongside other options like walking and public transport – as long as the user has the relevant app installed on their phone.

The new providers are 99Taxis in Brazil, Ola Cabs in India, Hailo in the UK and Spain, Mytaxi in Germany and Spain, and Gett in the UK.

In these countries, directions will now show an estimated price and pickup time for each available service, including subdivisions like UberX and UberBlack individually – again, as long as the user already has the apps installed. Once the user has reviewed their options and picked a service, a click will take them directly to the app theyve chosen to book.

The functionality is rolling out to Android over the next few days, with an iOS version promised very soon.