uber kiosk pearson

You can now order an Uber without a smartphone at Pearson Airport

If you didn't already think we were living in the future, your mind is about to be changed: because you no longer need a smartphone to order an Uber from Pearson International Airport

That's right, brand new kiosks were just installed so that your iPhone's depleted battery won't prevent you from ordering a ride.

 Jon Kantrowitz, an interface designer for Uber, posted about the kiosks on Twitter. 

Kantrowitz was the design lead for the kiosks. He was responsible for "the human interactions, user flow, and tablet user experience, which is the primary engagement for riders."

On Twitter, he said the system is being run as a trial at Pearson. 

"The kiosk has two modes of use: Attract and Active. Attract is when we try to attract use, provide wayfinding info for those who use the app, brand and Uber awareness in the airport/city. Active is when the user is engaged with the kiosk trying to book a ride," he wrote on Twitter.

When asked by another Twitter user why Toronto was chosen for the trial, Kantrowitz said they had to choose a city and airport with a good relationship to Uber, the infrastructure and placement had to be decent and the space rental had to be cost-effective.

On top of that, another Twitter user pointed out that Pearson has been a hotbed for Uber trials in the past. 

Kantrowitz also posted an early prototype he created on Twitter. 

Images of the new kiosks are quickly spreading online, and travelers are praising their convenience. 

It's a little surprising that Toronto is the first place to get these kiosks, since it wasn't too long ago that Uber pickups weren't even allowed at Pearson. 

 But who knows? If they're a success, maybe you'll eventually be able to order an Uber sans-smartphone from any airport in the world. 

Lead photo by

Jon Kantrowitz


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