When you think of Uber, you think of getting a ride somewhere, but the company wants to broaden its horizons and Xiaomi is happy to help out. Xiaomi, one of the fastest growing smartphone manufacturers, has teamed up with Uber to deliver Mi Note smartphones in Singapore and Malaysia.
What’s even cooler is that ordering a phone is no different than requesting a ride. All one needs to do is open the Uber app on their current smartphone, select Xiaomi from the bottom slider, and orange colored Uber cars equipped with Mi Notes will appear. Just hit request, and your shiny new Mi Note will be delivered within a few minutes. The credit card tied to your Uber account will be charged for it.
This isn’t the first time Uber has attempted something like this. The company launched UberEATS (formerly known as UberFRESH) earlier this year as a way to deliver lunch and dinner from popular local restaurants. The program initially launched in Barcelona and Los Angeles, but has since expanded to Chicago and New York City.
Xiaomi’s deal with Uber appears to be part of the Uber Merchant Delivery Program, which is a pilot program in which Uber drivers and UberRush Couriers offer same day deliveries of goods for online shoppers. The program began testing a few months ago, and it was reported that many known brands like Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany’s, Cohen’s Fashion Optical and Hugo Boss were in talks with Uber.
Sadly, Xiaomi’s smartphones have yet to be offered in the U.S., but it has opened online stores in both the U.S and Europe, where other Xiaomi devices are sold. Plus, the company has admitted to building a “war chest” of patents in preparation.
It’s possible that when Xiaomi does eventually launch a phone here in the U.S., should this pilot scheme prove successful, you just might be able to order one as quickly as an Uber.
