Are ride-hailing apps charging iPhone users more than Android users for the same ride? Here's what Brut found.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00After noticing a social media post about an alleged disparity in cab fares between Android
00:05and Apple devices, Brute conducted tests by booking rides with the same pick-up and drop-off
00:10locations on both phones at the same time.
00:13First, we compared fares for an Uber ride from Noida Sector 16 to Meroli Archaeological
00:18Park and discovered a fare difference of Rs 87.
00:22We then tested another route from DLF Phase 3 in Gurugram where the fare difference was
00:28Rs 126.
00:29However, when we booked a ride for a nearby location from Sector 16 to DLF Mall, Noida,
00:35the fare difference was minimal with almost identical prices on both platforms.
00:40Similarly, when we tested Ola rides with different pick-up and drop locations, the fare difference
00:46was minimal.
00:47A survey was conducted in Chennai where fares for the same ride were compared on both devices
00:53at three different locations.
00:55Each time, the fare on the iPhone was higher.
00:57Many commuters raised the issue of differing fares for the same trip when booked from Android
01:02and iOS devices on social media, tagging cab aggregators.
01:06However, this particular post caught Uber's attention.
01:09The post read,
01:10Same pick-up point, destination and time but two different phones get two different rates.
01:16It happens with me as I always get higher rates on my Uber compared to my daughter's
01:20phone.
01:21So most of the time, I request her to book my Uber.
01:24What is this hack?
01:25Uber support responded swiftly, saying multiple differences in these two rides impact the
01:30prices.
01:31The pick-up point, ET and drop-off point on these requests vary, which will cause different
01:36fares.
01:37Uber does not personalise trip pricing based on riders' cell phone manufacturer.
01:43But social media users had a different point of view.
01:45Many users said Uber charged more for iPhone users than Android users, while others believed
01:51the price differences were due to Uber's changing rates, which depended on factors
01:56such as traffic and demand at the time.
01:58Times of India reached out to Ola for comment on the issue, but they didn't respond.
02:02The managing director of FastTrack said that companies could easily change fares based
02:07on device details, calling it a dynamic price algorithm.
02:11P. Ravi Kumar, former director of CDAC Tiruvanthapuram, said that companies gather data such as device
02:17type, search patterns, and app usage, using machine learning tools such as Google Cloud
02:22AI, to adjust fares accordingly.
02:24According to Times of India, an expert involved in framing the union government's aggregator
02:29policy stated that fare surges are not just linked to phone models.
02:34They also apply to frequent app users and those who check fares repeatedly on the same
02:39device, as platforms adjust pricing based on user behaviour patterns.
02:44In the initial days of December 2024, Zepto was accused of charging higher prices for
02:49iPhone users, sparking discussions about device-based pricing across various apps.
02:54However, Zepto had not responded to these allegations yet.
02:58After many social media users shared their experiences about capped fares, Consumer Affairs
03:03Minister Prahlad Joshi joined the conversation, saying zero tolerance for consumer exploitation.
03:09He had directed the Department of Consumer Affairs through the Central Consumer Protection
03:14Authority to conduct a detailed inquiry into this matter and submit a report.
03:18He added that the investigation will extend to other sectors including food delivery and
03:22online ticket booking apps.