Could Singapores Grab be the fatal blow for Uber?
It seems Ubers biggest rival within the Asian market may have declared all-out-war on the silicon Valley ride hailing giant.
With competition so fierce, the race to reign supreme has hotted up. Will Uber be forced to surrender just as they were in China?
Singapore is not a particularly huge market in itself with only 5.6 million residents, but it's the potential of gaining a single market of over 600 million that wets the appetite.
Last year an estimated 3 million Indonesians made the trip to Singapore to shop, along with a combined estimate of 1 million joining them from Thailand and Vietnam. These figures are likely to drastically increase with the launch of a 350 kilometer long high speed train connecting Malaysia to Singapore which is in production.
Singapore is fast becoming the must have market for ride hailing apps, and Grab have decided to not just focus on Ubers customer base, but to also target their drivers, offering them a discount of almost 50% on rentals if they switch across to them.
The Asian market should not be underestimated when considering the global war between some of the most heavily funded startups ever. There is a definite possibility the loser of this tech war could see their whole worldwide empire crumble.
Grab are currently the market leaders, and with this decision to tempt drivers from their rival they could win the battle for supremacy. The likelihood of ride hailing customers using both apps is considered low, and the general consensus is there will eventually only be 1 app which completely dominates the market.
Will Uber be forced to 'Grab' their bags and leave with their tails between their legs?.... only time will tell.