You’re at work. It’s 6 pm, and you need a cab home. You pull out your smartphone, open WhatsApp, find the Uber chat window, and type:

Hi, I want a cab to go home from work

“At what time?” asks Uber.

In 15 mins

What kind?

Uber Go

That will be Rs 250 ($3.5). Your driver Amit will be here in 15 mins.

AUTHOR

Arundhati Ramanathan

Arundhati is Bengaluru-based. She is interested in how people use money in the digital age and how new economies will take shape based on that interaction. She has spent over 10 years reporting and writing on various subjects. Previous stints were at Mint, Outlook Business and Reuters.

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