Lyft Seduces Senior Citizens with New App Design in Hopes of Staying Relevant…

So it appears Lyft is finally embracing its role as Uber’s desperate little brother by going full-on “favorite grandchild” mode. The company is reportedly working on Lyft Silver, a dumbed-down version of its app designed to make hailing a ride as easy as ordering a Denny’s Grand Slam at 4 PM. You know, because nothing screams “disruption” like pandering to the one demographic that still pays for cable.

(Source: Giphy) 

In short, Lyft’s latest brainchild was discovered in a publicly available iOS code, which hints at a senior-friendly redesign featuring all things you’d assume would appeal to anyone who yells at kids to get off their lawn. For instance, Lyft is rolling out a simplified interface (big buttons, less clutter—think “iPhone for Dummies” but for ride-sharing), “Easy access to support”, ride-sharing details for caregivers, and digital gift cards (presumably so grandkids can pretend they’re generous by funding Nana’s Lyft to bingo night).

Of course, Lyft’s PR team didn’t confirm the feature outright but did drop this vague gem: “We’re always working on ways to connect and serve more audiences better—especially underserved communities that help grow rideshare.” Translation: We need new users, and the elderly aren’t going to drive themselves.

(Source: Bloomberg) 

Now obviously, this comes at a time when everyone knows that Lyft has been trying (and mostly failing) to outmaneuver Uber for years. Meaning this is just the latest attempt to carve out a niche. However, Uber, of course, isn’t sitting on the sidelines. For instance, Uber has also rolled out some super features to appeal to the adult diaper crowd with a Uber Caregiver Mode—but as it stands, it's not as thorough as what Lyft is bringing to the table.

The only question now is whether this will work or not. Will it? Honestly, maybe. The senior market is an untapped goldmine for ride-hailing. Especially considering older adults are definitely less likely to drive themselves (fun fact: have you ever seen an 80 year old try to parallel park a Buick LeSabre? Terrifying). Plus, this demographic has money, unlike the Gen Z crowd—not to mention, they are typically busier with medical appointments, grocery runs, early-bird specials—you get the idea.

(Source: Giphy) 

Of course, only time will tell if seniors will actually use Lyft Silver, but still, at the end of the day—this is just another example of Lyft trying to differentiate itself without actually winning the ride-hailing war.

Meaning, if you’re betting on Lyft stock, you’re basically betting that Boomers will suddenly embrace app-based transportation en masse. And if that happens? Well, maybe pigs really can fly. In the meantime though, keep your eyes on Lyft as shares are down -8.83% over the past five days. And as always, stay safe and stay frosty, friends! Until next time… 

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Stocks.News holds positions in Uber as mentioned in the article.