As if you needed another reason to love Starbucks, the Seattle based coffee giant has added one more anyways. Millions of people turn to Starbucks when they are in need of a pick-me-up, but now the popular chain is extending the courtesy to your cell phone as well. Starbucks recently announce it has teamed up with Duracell with the initiative to introduce wireless charging in its coffee shops.
Over the next three years Starbucks plans to install 100,000 charging pads in table and counter tops in about 7,500 of its company-owned stores. Starting in the San Francisco Bay Area, customers of the popular coffee brand will be able to charge their phones automatically without the need for cords or cables. And just like their WiFi service, there will be no additional cost to the customer.
USA Today quoted Starbucks’ Chief Digital Officer, Adam Brotman, as saying “Starbucks believes this is another step in staying ahead of the curve when it comes to in-store technology.” Anyone with a cell phone can attest to the stress felt from a dying phone, and Starbucks is aiming to ease that pain. Starbucks hopes by allowing their customers the convenience of charging their life lines in house, that they will linger longer and spend more at the counter. It’s a strategy that, in the past, has paid off.
Unfortunately though, most customers won’t be able to take advantage of the easy charging, at least for now. Customer’s must have a phone capable of charging wirelessly, and since few exist right now, the public will have to wait. Most likely though, by the time Starbucks has the new wireless system running in all 7,500 stores, cell phone technology will have pretty much caught up. In the mean time, Starbucks is dabbling with the idea of selling the battery accessories for wireless charging themselves.
Wall plugs will soon become a thing of the past, and Starbucks is aiming to be ahead of the game. Soon other companies will be trying to figure out how to incorporate wireless charging into their own stores, while Starbucks will have already become a pro at it. So sit back and relax, your phone isn’t going to die…not on Starbucks’ watch.
Photo: Starbucks
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