If you want to summon a ride with Uber, your first impulse is probably to tap the Uber app on your phone.
But in the near future, having the Uber app on your home screen may be unnecessary.
That's because all of your favorite apps can now tie directly into Uber with a new "Ride Request" button the company announced on Wednesday.
Big-name apps like Google Maps and Open Table have had Uber integration for some time, but the new Ride Request button makes it easy for any developer to fulfill a person's "intent to ride," as Chris Saad, Uber's head of product for developers, wrote in blog post.
The idea is that any app that could be helpful in getting you somewhere can be integrated with Uber.
The button also makes perfect sense for a new crop of apps that are built entirely around Uber as a service. Teleport, for instance, is a new iPhone app that makes it easier to order an Uber ride for someone else.
This week Uber showcased integration it has planned with Transit, a popular app for navigating public transportation in cities. The Transit app is able to display Uber rides and their price details as possible transportation options alongside bus and subway routes.
Third-party apps like Transit can use Uber's button to let you see available cars in your area, select which kind of car you want (UberX, UberPool, etc.), and get fare estimates and ETAs. If you actually want to order a ride from a third-party app, you're kicked into the Uber app to finish the transaction.
The technology that powers this integration, called deep linking, makes it easy for apps to work together.
Uber has given partners an incentive to add the new button — each time a new Uber customer books a trip through their app, the partner gets $5.
