Android isn't perfect (case in point: it should support saying "yes I want to install the app, no it can't have the permissions it asked for"), but at least it isn't iOS; I'm not going to stick with a feature phone until someone comes up with the perfect smartphone OS. If someone comes up with a service better than Uber, I'll switch. (For instance, I do plan to try Lyft next time I'm in a city it supports, to see if the experience is better.)
That seems like a massively inconvenient workaround to use a service which really only offers a mild convenience (over, say, a regular taxi).
There are areas where taxi service is so spotty as to be scary, were simply getting a cab is a huge pain (IE: called and ordered) and flagging one down is a non-starter. Even after calling in a cab, they often end up being no-shows (get a better fare en-route, etc)... it is scary when you can't get dependable public transit home from a location (stuck alone, outside, waiting for sometimes hours).
Uber started and initially flourished in areas were taxi service was insanely poor due to bad regulation and/or corruption. Uber was basically a response to the godawful taxi situation in SF.
I know I feel far more comfortable when the people I care about are able to get an Uber/Lyft/(similar) service.
I wiped an old Android phone, configured it with a dummy Gmail account, and then installed the Uber app there.
So it's a dedicated Uber-only phone with no contacts, no personal data, powered off until I need a ride. It's a giant pain in the ass.
Kinda happy to see this article, it validates my paranoia in some small way.
Now the real question is, why use Uber at all if they're this cavalier with my personal information? Good question, I may not need to power-on my Uber-only phone any more.