Google has quietly launched a utility app named Areo on the PlayStore and is presently available only in India, particularly Mumbai and Bengaluru. The app is an attempt by Google at being the interface between the buyer and the seller, through an Android smartphone.
The Areo app is an aggregator service for various hyper-local brands like Faasos, UrbanClap, Box8, Holachef, Zimmber and Freshmenu. The app is draped in Google’s Material Design and has options related to food ordering services and home services for now. It picks up the location of the user and provides him the supported services available around him.
That means if you are hungry, you open Areo and choose various dishes or meals available for delivery to your location. Once you select your choice, you can order the food item through the app and even carry on with the payment process. The app will also notify you about the placed order and various offers as well.
In the future, more service providers will join the services of Google Areo and if the app generates demand, then Google could start charging a commission between 5-15 percent on each order placed through the app, as hinted by one service provider on Areo.
If Google’s Areo succeeds in catching attention of the users, then it might pose as a serious competitor to existing players like Zomato, Swiggy and various other “middleman” apps.
