Knowing the filth of Uber (at many ranks/depts) they could just be testing the waters to see what they can get away with. Politicians do this all the time. They use the media/news outlets to circulate rumors of "10% tax increase on X" and once they measure the outrage they eventually impose the 5% they initially planned. This way the masses are happy for avoiding the 10%, and the politicians are happy because they were really planning for a 3%, so yey.

I woulnd't be surprised if Uber measures the attractions/reactions the same way, and in the end of the day delivers in a similar manner.