America runs on Dunkin'... But Uber runs on Google Maps. We don't think much about Uber's underlying GPS while drinking out of a plastic bottle and asking for the AUX cord. However, Uber has Google Maps built into it. Without Google, Uber can't direct drivers, give ETAs, and stop you from asking 'how much longer.' That's why:
More like Pool pricing... $58M is a relatively small sum to pay for a service that essentially powers your app. Especially when Uber did $11B in sales in 2018, and Google did $39B (in just the 4th quarter). Sure, Google's happy with billions of riders subconsciously accessing its Maps. However, it turns out Google and Uber's relationship isn't casual (it's complicated):
Big Tech is the "Silent Server" for the digital economy... The true power lies in the utilities you use, but don't necessarily see. Amazon's cloud service, AWS, accounts for nearly 13% of its revenue and also powers the operations of millions of companies from Netflix to Slack to Shell. Google Maps, which runs on Google Cloud, (almost) invisibly powers Uber's operations — and it's expected to deliver Google nearly $5B this year. Tech giants' servers perform essential computing for the apps you love. So they can charge rent that you don't see, but definitely pay for.