Add to that that then-telephone-only private hire companies are moving to the internet, you're now left with the question of what makes Uber better than another private hire company

Ubiquity -- Uber works in London, but it also works in Manchester, and Cardiff, and New York, and Sydney

Addison Lee works in London.

Uber has almost completely wiped these out.

There used to be loads of taxi offices, you would go in and talk to a human and outside you would get into a taxi.

Now, the offices still exist - but if you go in, it's just an empty room with a phone for you to speak to some central room.

Uber has killed all these small businesses.

And generally more expensive luxury private hire services rather than cheaper-than-taxi hire services, as UberX typically is.