Digital Transactions Authoritative, insightful and timely information for payments professionals
By Kevin Woodward
Facebook Inc.’s newly launched integration of Uber, the car-hailing service, into its Messenger app relies on e-commerce-transaction processor Braintree to provide the payments connection.
Facebook on Wednesday updated its Messenger communications app with a Transportation option that enables users to request a ride from a car service without having to use another app or leave the message. Uber USA LLC is the first company to participate in the service. Braintree, a unit of PayPal Holdings Inc., provides payment services for Uber.
To use the service, consumers tap the More menu within Messenger and choose Transportation. In one example, the user may also tap the Request a Ride button displayed on the Messenger screen.
Users must have an Uber account in addition to a Facebook account. Payment is made via the consumer’s choice designated in their Uber account.
Driver-status updates and payment receipts are delivered via messages between the user and Uber.
Braintree representatives were not available for comment, but in a blog post the company says the service uses tokens to secure the payment. The post does not explain how the tokens work with the Messenger app.
Facebook says the integrated Uber service is available to select users where Uber operates in the United States. More providers and locations will be available soon, the social network says.
This is not the first time Facebook Messenger has integrated a service that relies on a payments function. This summer, it rolled out nationwide a person-to-person payment service that relies on users’ debit cards.
