Wu said Apple has been building its ecosystem in the auto industry with the rumored Apple Car and its CarPlay infotainment system. China is the world's largest automobile market, and Didi is the dominant player in China's ride-sharing sector, which offers a great test field for Apple.
"Working with Didi can help them further understand the Chinese market, technologies and business models," he said.
James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said that by teaming up with Didi, Apple is also expected to boost the loyalty of Chinese users. "For example, Apple can integrate Didi with its existing services, such as map and Siri. Asking Siri to help hail a ride can certainly help increase user experience in China," he said.
He added that the company's payment service, Apple Pay, may also get a boost in China as an increasing number of people now pay by smartphone after booking a ride on Didi.
Cheng Wei, founder and CEO of Didi, said in a statement that the endorsement from Apple is an enormous encouragement and inspiration for the 4-year-old firm.
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