Xiaomi could be worth more than Uber, Twitter, LinkedIn and Netflix after $1bn investment round December 22, 2014 A Beijing-based company which has become the world’s third-largest smartphone maker in the space of four years is now said to be worth more than the likes of Uber, Twitter, LinkedIn and Netflix after its latest funding round. Xiaomi has raised $1bn (£640m) from a host of investors, valuing the firm at more than $45bn, [...]
Taiwan could ban Uber for “illegal” operations December 22, 2014 What do Spain, Thailand, Colombia, France and the Netherlands have in common? All have taken action against Uber services – including banning the taxi app outright – and Taiwan could be the latest to follow suit. Uber faces a possible ban in Taiwan after the country’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) revealed [...]
From Quindell and Gotham City to Uber and the LDTA – five of the biggest business battles to watch out for in 2015 December 22, 2014 Rival camps have banded together, the lines are drawn, battle armour is on and adrenaline is running high. All that's left for spectators to do is grab some popcorn and watch from the ringside. From rival estate agents, to a business targeted by a Batman styled US fund and an influx of tiny new banks [...]
Four ways Uber promises to improve passenger safety in 2015 December 18, 2014 Uber has pledged to improve safety for passengers across four key areas next year, following the arrest of one of its drivers in New Delhi for rape. The taxi firm, which operates in 260 cities worldwide, has courted controversy over its screening of drivers in the past, with some critics claiming it puts passengers [...]
The UK, Alibaba and Nigel Farage are the biggest winners of 2014 December 18, 2014 As the year draws to a close it's a good time to reflect and look back on who will be cheerfully toasting 2014, after looking at those poor souls who've been dealt nothing but coal this year. This lot have plenty of reason for good cheer this holiday season – here's our pick of the [...]
China’s Baidu confirms Uber investment plan December 17, 2014 CHINESE internet giant Baidu confirmed yesterday it is buying a stake in fast-growing international car-hailing service Uber as the pair chase growth in one of the world’s largest transportation markets. The companies did not disclose how big a stake Baidu is taking, nor how much it is paying for the investment, announced jointly in Beijing. [...]
Baidu confirms it’s buying a stake in Uber December 17, 2014 Internet giant Baidu – the Chinese equivalent of Google – has confirmed plans to buy a stake in Uber. The company hasn't disclosed the size of the stake, but it's likely Uber will use its newly-forged alliance to offer new features to passengers. Baidu has suggested its tie-up with Uber will "enable users of Baidu [...]
Uber protests in Paris: UberPop banned in France as taxi drivers stage mass demonstration December 15, 2014 France has said it will ban one of the services offered by controversial taxi app Uber from early next year, the same day as Paris' cabbies have staged a mass protest against the ride-sharing service. The French interior ministry announced that UberPop, a low-cost service which lets private drivers make money picking up passengers like [...]
Sydney cafe siege: Uber offers free rides after price rise triggers angry criticism December 15, 2014 Taxi firm Uber is offering customers in Sydney free rides out of the city’s central business district, where at least one gunman is currently holding a group of people hostage in a cafe. Uber had initially come in for criticism after its price for rides in the area surged to a minimum $100 as [...]
Anti-Uber taxi protests to be staged in Paris tomorrow December 14, 2014 Parisian cabbies could clog the city's streets tomorrow in a mass protest against a French court's refusal to ban a controversial service offered by taxi app Uber. Three taxi groups have called on cab drivers to block a number of main streets in Paris from 5am tomorrow, according to a report by news service France [...]