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Uber has always wanted to be more than a ride; now it has reason to hurry

Published

1 month ago

May 10, 2026

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For years, Uber talked about becoming a super app. Then Waymo started picking up passengers in San Francisco, and the conversation grew more urgent. The company has been trying to embed itself inside the AV industry — as a data provider, an investor, and a distribution platform — but the consumer-facing bet may be just as important.

Two weeks ago, Uber held its annual GO-GET product event in New York and announced something its executives had been circling for a long time: users in the U.S. can now book hotels inside the Uber app, through a partnership with Expedia Group, with access to more than 700,000 properties worldwide. Uber One members — the company’s subscription tier at $9.99 a month — get 20% off a rotating list of 10,000 hotels and 10% back in credits. Vacation rentals through Vrbo will follow later this year, along with restaurant reservations via OpenTable. In the meantime, a “Shop for Me” feature lets users order from stores that aren’t even on the platform.

The announcements, taken together, were the most concrete picture yet of something Uber has been trying to conjure since at least 2019: that an app with 199 million monthly active users could become the app they use for nearly everything.

Praveen Neppalli Naga, Uber’s CTO, offered the clearest explanation of the company’s thinking at TechCrunch’s StrictlyVC event late last month in San Francisco. The super app concept has existed for years in India and Southeast Asia, he noted, but U.S. versions have mostly flopped by bolting services onto traffic rather than building toward a reason to stay.

His answer to what fits? Membership. Every new category — food, groceries, now hotels — gives someone another reason to pay for Uber One. “I take Uber, go to the airport, take a flight, take another Uber, go to a hotel, go to a restaurant,” he said. “There is a flow you can actually build into it.”

Flights are not available yet, though Naga didn’t rule them out. Uber tried flight booking in Europe years ago without success. “First let’s get the hotel things done,” he said. Financial services sound like a possibility too — Uber already offers a debit card to drivers in Mexico — though how far that goes, or when, remains unclear. Said Naga: “Never say never.”

Uber isn’t alone in this race. Airbnb, arguably the company most directly threatened by Uber’s hotel push, announced its own transportation ambitions in late March — a partnership with Welcome Pickups to offer airport transfers in 125 cities across Asia, Europe, and Latin America, structured to keep users inside the Airbnb app rather than sending them to Uber. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has spent three years promising to turn X into an “everything app” in the WeChat mold, and is now nearing what he describes as a long-stated goal: X Money, a banking and payments platform built inside the social network, is expected to launch publicly soon. X claims 500 million monthly active users.

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The big question is how many super apps the American market will actually support. WeChat works in China partly because the alternative was a patchwork of inferior options. In the U.S., people already have apps they like for most of what Uber wants to do. Getting them to consolidate inside a single platform requires either a compelling reason — Uber One’s discounts, say — or a seamless enough experience that switching feels worth it.

Uber’s bet is that its installed base is the moat. Its users have already handed over a credit card. Convincing them to book a hotel, or order from a store they’d never find on Uber Eats, is an easy lift compared with convincing them to download something new. Its most recent earnings, reported a few days ago, suggest Uber Eats may be the strongest argument for that thesis: delivery revenue grew 34% year over year in the first quarter, to $5.07 billion, making it easily the fastest-growing part of the business and pulling almost even with mobility in gross bookings.

Uber’s stock is still down about 8% from a year ago — suggesting that Wall Street isn’t fully convinced. But the company says that 50 million people are now paying for Uber One, and together they account for roughly half the company’s total bookings.

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DO-OR-DIE AT SHOWTIME: Warriors Eye Final Spot As Knights And Rebels Prepare For Winner-Takes-All Showdown

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1 hour ago

June 14, 2026

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The road to the Showtime Bowl reaches a dramatic crossroads today as Showtime Arena, Meadow Hall, Lekki prepares to host one of the biggest nights in Showtime Flag Football history.

After an electrifying first leg that produced intense battles, playoff drama, and an unforgettable 82-point thriller, the Showtime Bowl Series XIV Playoffs return today for the decisive second leg — where championship dreams will survive or die.

Four teams remain in the hunt.

Only two will move one step closer to lifting the Showtime Bowl trophy.

And by the end of tonight, the playoff picture will look completely different.

The opening matchup of the evening sees the Abia-Warriors return to battle the Ibom Raptors after securing a hard-fought 21-13 victory in the first leg.

The Warriors once again showed why they have become one of the most dominant teams in Showtime football, using their experience and discipline to take an eight-point advantage into today’s clash.

But despite the defeat, the Raptors left the first leg with renewed belief.

Unlike previous meetings where the Warriors completely controlled the contest, the Raptors fought fiercely and proved they have the talent to challenge one of the league’s biggest powerhouses.

Now they face their biggest test yet.

Can the Raptors produce the comeback that could shake the entire league?

Or will the Warriors continue their march toward another championship appearance?

With stars on both sides capable of changing a game in an instant, the opening playoff battle promises tension, physicality, and elite football from the first whistle.

Then comes the game everyone is talking about.

The Lagos Knights and Lagos Rebels return to the field after producing one of the greatest playoff spectacles in Showtime history.

Their first-leg encounter ended in a breathtaking 41-41 draw, leaving absolutely nothing between two of the hottest teams in the league.

It was football at its finest.

Touchdowns. Big plays. Momentum swings. Pure entertainment.

Now the rivalry enters its final chapter.

The Knights arrive carrying momentum from their remarkable rise during the postseason, including a dominant 59-0 Wildcard victory that announced them as serious contenders.

The Rebels, meanwhile, continue to play with confidence, swagger, and the fearless attacking style that has made them one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs.

Today there will be no second chances.

No draws.

No escape.

One team advances. One team’s season ends.

The atmosphere inside Showtime Arena is expected to be electric as players, coaches, and supporters prepare for what could become one of the defining nights of the Showtime Bowl Series XIV season.

From rising stars and fierce rivalries to unforgettable moments and championship ambitions, Showtime Flag Football continues to showcase why it remains one of the fastest-growing and most exciting sports platforms in Nigeria.

Today is about more than football.

It is about pride.

It is about legacy.

It is about earning the right to continue the journey.

Four teams enter Showtime Arena with dreams of championship glory.

By the end of tonight, only the strongest will remain standing on the Road to the Showtime Bowl.

News

Cholera outbreak kills five in Plateau, 11 cases confirmed

Published

1 hour ago

June 14, 2026

Preport

The Plateau’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, says the state has recorded 11 confirmed cases of cholera, five deaths, and 53 suspected cases.

Mr Baamlong, who disclosed this to journalists on Sunday in Jos, said the confirmed and suspected cases were reported in the Pushit, Mangu 1 and Mangu 2 communities of Mangu Local Government Area.

According to Mr Baamlong, the state ministry of health is intensifying public health interventions to contain the outbreak, prevent further spread, and reduce its impact on affected communities.

He explained that the state had taken decisive actions to control the outbreak and protect its citizens by deploying additional response teams to the affected wards, scaling up treatment centres and isolation capacity, and the emergency procurement of rapid diagnostic test kits, intravenous fluids, and essential drugs.

The commissioner further said the ministry had activated an incident management system to ensure a comprehensive, multisectoral response to the outbreak.

“The activation of the IMS ensures a coordinated, efficient, and accountable response structure in line with national and international emergency response frameworks,” he said.

Mr Baamlong explained that cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

He urged residents of the Mangu LGA and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and take preventive measures, including drinking safe water, maintaining proper hand hygiene, avoiding open defecation, and ensuring proper waste disposal.

He also advised residents to promptly report suspected cases of cholera to the nearest healthcare facility for immediate attention.

While reaffirming the state government’s commitment to safeguarding residents’ health and well-being, Baamlong called on development partners and other stakeholders to support the ongoing response efforts.

(NAN)