Google Launches On-demand aggregator AREO
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Google Launches On-demand aggregator AREO
Google silently launches its latest hyper local /aggregator modeled project in the form of an Android app named as “Areo” in Mumbai and Bangalore.
The app which is still at its MVP stage is initially targeted towards the sectors of food delivery, beauty & wellness, fitness, home maintenance, repairs & Installation by a strategic partnership with existing service providers for the same like UrbanClap, Box8, Freshmenu, Faasos.
What’s new:
Book all the services you need day to day from a responsive and small Android app made by Google itself.
Compare prices among the providers, Pay in the app, cash on delivery, in short, google search for food delivery to a lot of other stuff through a lightweight app.
There are also sections such as accounting, car wash, construction and renovation, personal driver, shoe repair, security installation, web development and even a few more which are yet to come up in near future as a result of more joint ventures with existing service providers in those sectors.
The App:
The UI is Google’s own signature material design with beyond expectations user experience and navigation.
If you are a first time user, the app detects your precise location automatically & that’s it, no sign in required since it uses your default Google account.
Choose from a list of existing services, items, search for something specific, compare prices among providers, browse through providers in a specific category.
Payments are done through online using Times DirecPay by Times Group, no e-wallets so far. But users can also opt for cash on delivery.
The business model:
Hyperlocal, On- Demand, Aggregator.
As of now, Google Aero is listing its partners’ services for free but we are not sure about their future monetization strategy. This app is definitely going to give a boost to the growth of existing players in the specific verticals listed under Aero.
Also, it has not included Amazon funded Housejoy.in so it can be a clear indication of Google following the lean startup methodology and saving its eggs to prepare and deploy its own inventory of small and providers when it catches some solid traction by using the power of leverage.
Sodio’s Verdict:
Since Google is one of the pioneers of the Indian Tech Sector, they have built Aero on an Indian context after researching a lot on the market forecast and opportunity.
The user experience easily conveys the reason why people are going to use Aero other than downloading every other provider’s app or searching for them online.
For Google, this app can prove to be a testing ground to know Indian market and consumer behavior in the on demand/hyperlocal sector which has gained attention from tier one investors like Amazon, Ratan Tata, Accel Partners, SAIF Partners, Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital & Softbank since 2013.
Google has earlier launched hotel bookings via Google hotel finder and flight bookings via Google Flights in India a few years back which were also directly integrated into the default Google search results.
Aero is Google’s first initiative in India in the form of a dedicated Android app which is developed solely for the motive of completing the transaction on the behalf of the merchant on the app rather than redirecting them to the partner’s website on Hotel finder or Google Flights.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
