CHINA TOPIX

03/29/2024 06:13:51 am

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Didi Chuxing Updates Uber China App, Made it Chinese User Friendly

In this Photo Illustration a smart phone displays a picture with the logo of the news taxi app 'Uber' near the Cuatro Torres 'Four Towers' business area on October 14, 2014 in Madrid, Spain.

(Photo : Getty Images) In this Photo Illustration a smart phone displays a picture with the logo of the news taxi app 'Uber' near the Cuatro Torres 'Four Towers' business area on October 14, 2014 in Madrid, Spain.

After acquiring its rival Uber, Didi Chuxing has launched an updated version of Uber for Chinese users.

According to the Quartz, although the app looks similar to its older version, some foreigners may have a hard time using it.

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Originally, Uber app worked anywhere across the world regardless of the app store it came from. However, its new Chinese version, which was co-developed by Didi, is only applicable in China. Users that downloaded Uber from app stores outside China will not be able to use the app within the country, the company said in a statement.

A company representative told Quartz that this is just a "transition period" but refused to give details on how long it will last. The new Chinese app will be officially introduced on Nov. 3 but will be pilot tested beginning on Wednesday (Oct. 26).

Other features removed include the English language interface and credit card payment option, leaving about 800,000 expats with no choice but to hail a taxi.

Furthermore, instead of sending through the app's support division, a customer service hotline will be made available to receive and cater complaints. Uber China said that despite the popularity of Uber's existing app-only customer service, "Chinese customers are not used to it."

Passengers could also start sharing real-time location with their contacts on WeChat, putting an end to the year-long block on all-things Uber on WeChat, according to the Quartz.

It also got rid of carpooling, inter-city transport, and request for 7-seater cars to comply with Chinese authorities recent regulation.

"Uber, as a Silicon Valley company, did not localize very well," Uber China said in a statement release, adding that most Chinese users prefer that changes made.

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