I seriously don't understand why the updated Uber app asks to access my location all the time -- as opposed to only when I'm using the app. Not only is it not required but it's a huge drain on the phone's battery, potentially decreasing the battery's life.

Now I'm from a third-world country and can't afford to buy a $1000 phone every year, so I have to be careful with the life of my phone.

The turnaround this, I found, is to disallow location to the Uber app when not using the app and allowing access only when I use the app. This, however, is a pain and the Uber app behaves weird if I do so (the previous trip does not end after hours of it actually ending).

Very poor UX from Uber, potentially dangerous, definitely unethical. This is definitely a trend -- startups start with being caring of its customers, but once they grow big, they become callous and even malicious when it comes to users (I don't ask of them to give every customer personal support, but not mis-using customers is the least I can expect).