Users of myTaxi can now pre-book a cab thanks to a new version of the startup’s app which launched today. The app has been in development for three months and has also been given a new look and feel to go alongside the new functionality.
There will be high hopes that the new app can continue the success of Hamburg-based myTaxi, which has a 80 percent market share in the German smartphone taxi app market with more than a million downloads so far.
A sense of perfectionism led to the relatively lengthy development process. “The love is in the details,” said Sven Külper, CEO and co-founder of myTaxi. The process involved ongoing surveys and testing with users, developers and designers. Sven added: “In such a young startup, there are many creative minds and every single person lives absolutely for the product.”
The launch will help myTaxi tackle the many competitors which have sprung up since its launch in March 2010. The company maintains that it has an edge through the direct connection provided between taxi driver and passenger, removing the need for a central dispatch service.
For the driver, this means better freedom and independence, while ensuring greater transparency for passengers who can see the phone number, picture and average rating of the driver during the ordering process. In addition, they can also state a preferred regular driver.
Fellow co-founder Niclaus Mewes said: “MyTaxi is neutral, independent and financially strong. This puts us in a position to implement innovative solutions quickly and flexibly.”
Users can now download the new app for free in the App Store.
The taxi app space is as busy as ever, with plenty of choice for consumers such as BetterTaxi and TaxiPal.