Uber Eats vs UPS

Introducing voice: less tapping, more doing

Uber's blog features a new post about introducing voice in the driver app, reducing the need for tapping. Other new posts include 'Make the most of your day', 'How Uber Protects Against Retry Storms', and 'Large-Scale Automated Dependency Analysis Across Uber's Service Mesh'.

Large-Scale Automated Dependency Analysis Across Uber's Service Mesh

New engineering blog post published September 15, 2026, discussing automated dependency analysis across Uber's service mesh.

Uber Finances SSW Purchase in Delivery Hero Deal

Uber's multibillion-euro takeover of Delivery Hero includes a separate sale of Delivery Hero's operations in 14 countries, including Spain and Austria, to U.S. investment firm SSW Partners for ~$1.6 billion. Uber will finance the majority of SSW's purchase price via a loan, with repayment expected over time, possibly from a future sale. The main offer is €41.50 per share, valuing Delivery Hero's equity at $14.8 billion. The deal aims to consolidate the delivery market, reducing major players from four to three, and ease antitrust concerns by divesting overlapping markets. Regulatory approvals are needed from the European Commission and authorities in Austria, Spain, Poland, and Ecuador. Closing is expected in H2 2027, subject to conditions, with a €700 million reverse fee if the deal fails on regulatory grounds.

• Uber offers €41.50 per Delivery Hero share, valuing Delivery Hero at $14.8 billion.
• Delivery Hero sells operations in 14 countries to SSW Partners for ~$1.6 billion, a separate transaction conditional on Uber's offer.
• Uber provides a loan to SSW Partners covering the majority of the purchase price.

FedEx Launches Shopify App for Duty and Tax Guarantee

FedEx has launched a new tool, FedEx Duty and Tax, available as a Shopify app for $99 per month, which provides merchants with a duty and tax cost guarantee at checkout. If actual duties and taxes exceed the amount shown, FedEx covers the overage, but no refunds are given if they are lower. This is part of a larger suite of tools called Global Trade Navigator, aimed at simplifying international shipping. The initiative addresses frequent customer surprise at import charges, especially amid changing tariff rates. FedEx's senior vice president of digital portfolio, Jason Brenner, noted the service is at parity or better with competitors and hinted at future expansion beyond Shopify. The broader suite includes tools for customs documentation, Harmonized System code lookup, and global trade APIs.

• FedEx launched FedEx Duty and Tax as a Shopify app for $99/month.
• The app guarantees duty and tax costs at checkout; FedEx covers overages.
• The tool is part of the Global Trade Navigator suite for international shipping.

Three print-first creative concepts from UPS, Brand Cult, Boring Lab

The Drum and Canon launched the 'Feel This: Print Without Limits' competition, challenging creative teams to extend existing campaigns into physical, touchable print experiences. Three concepts were showcased: UPS Asia's oversized shipping boxes, placed in high-footfall APAC locations, turn the emotional weight of a shipment into a giant, interactive installation; Brand Cult's Cult Confessions transforms a 16th-century confessional booth into a scented photo experience for entrepreneurs; and The Boring Lab's Boring Zine converts B2B product training into a monthly physical puzzle game with glow-in-the-dark, heat-activated, and water-reactive elements. All three concepts treat print not as a separate channel but as the core creative idea, using QR codes and linked digital elements to connect physical engagement to measurable journeys.

• Canon and The Drum organized the 'Feel This: Print Without Limits' creative competition.
• UPS Asia's concept uses oversized packages at high-footfall locations to symbolize the emotional scale of shipments for small businesses.
• Brand Cult's 'Cult Confessions' turns a 16th-century confessional into a scented photo booth for entrepreneurs.