AfterDawn: News

Starbucks offers free iTunes access

Starbucks Corp and Apple Inc. have announced that through an agreement, iPod users will be able to access the new iTunes Wi-Fi music store and purchase songs in Starbucks' coffee shops. The service will debut in 600 different Starbucks stores in New York and Seattle on October 2nd. "We know a lot of people are going to be very happy with this new combination of coffee and iPods," Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said.

Jobs said that both companies have been working on the deal for over two years now. Through the deal, Starbucks hopes to boost its sales and also its stake in the music business. Users with a new iPod Touch, an iPhone or a laptop running iTunes can access the free Wifi to browse the iTunes store.



While navigating through the iTunes store, customers will be able to see what song is currently being played in the Starbucks store they are in and can purchase it easily. Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz said it was "mutually beneficial to both Apple and Starbucks." He hopes the deal brings new customers to Starbucks.

"It is highly relevant and very cool for young people to buy these new devices, and certainly we recognize that demographic and age profile is younger than our core customer," Schultz said.

Source:
Yahoo (Reuters)

Written by: James Delahunty @ 6 Sep 2007 10:31

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• 10 comments

• Pride1

  GREAT move by Apple and Starbucks, apple definitely knows what custumer wants... maybe cause they listen :)
  
  M$ just give up already

  6.9.2007 10:45 #1

• BIGnewb

  the only thing good microsoft ever release was windows xp professional sp2.other than that nothing is attractive from that company.bill gates is a billionaire and he dont give a shit about his customers anymore.there's a saying:while you're frustrated that your xbox 360 broke,bill gates is laughing playing on his xbox 720.

  6.9.2007 11:11 #2

• duckNrun

  with so many wi-fi locations out there why only allow people to access iTunes at Starbucks? Oh yeah they love the 'lock in' their users concept don't they. They officially locked in their OS users to apple, locked in their computer purchasers to their 'approved overpriced' hardware, locked in iPhone users to AT&T, locked in iTunes music to their portable devices and now they will lock in the wi-fi users of the new iPod to Starbucks.
  
  I would presume that the negotiating that took place for two years was over how much money starbucks would pay apple for encouraging their users to stop in at Starbucks.
  
  Now granted, nothing wrong with either company wanting to increase their bottom line, and it may be true that many of the starbucks crowd also is a subset of the iPod crowd... but the point remains that open wi-fi access would have been so much more customer oriented than a starbucks only deal.
  
  But then if apple was TRULEY concerned about customer friendly concepts they wouldn't have made the batteries connected to the mainboard requiring more money than usual to replace, wouldn't have taken the money from AT&T which has the lowest customer satisfaction scores of any mobile phone service and would have said "hey if you're at the mall, a truck stop, downtown etc and there's open wi-fi you can BUY MORE SONGS from our store" instead of 'Hey stop into starbucks, buy some of their coffee and buy some of our songs too!"
  
  /begin fanboy flames now....

  6.9.2007 12:24 #3

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by duckNrun: with so many wi-fi locations out there why only allow people to access iTunes at Starbucks? Oh yeah they love the 'lock in' their users concept don't they.Wow dude, you took this way too personal. I think what they mean is, Starbucks usually charges you (or you have to buy something) to get WiFi access there. Now, you can just walk in with your iPod Touch (or laptop with iTunes, as stated above) and get on the iTunes site for free, without paying Starbucks. It doesn't mean you can't get on the WiFi iTunes at home, the library or in a hotel. Geesh.
  
  I think it helps both Apple and Starbucks, plus when "you hear that song you can't think of the name of" you can just use your iPod to figure out what it is and buy it instantly. Nice idea.

  6.9.2007 12:39 #4

• aw2600

  The new iPod Touch CAN use open Wi-Fi. At the announcement yesterday Steve Jobs specifically spoke about using the included Safari browser to authenticate against a private Wi-Fi network. Once authenticated you could purchase from iTunes. If the network is open then you can just purchase from iTunes or surf with Safari.
  
  The only thing the Starbucks deal offers is the ability to see what song is playing in the store (as well as the last 10 songs played) and quickly purchase that song. It helps with the impulse purchase. "Hey I like this song that's playing. I'm gonna buy it."
  
  Now, I'm not an Apple fanboy at all. I own a 1st gen Nano and run Rockbox - not Apple's firmware. However I would love to own the new iPod Touch. Being able to surf the net via Wi-Fi on small device would be great. I would love to be able to read the posts on AfterDawn while I sit on the crapper. :)

  6.9.2007 12:48 #5

• duckNrun

  first off: nothing personal about it. I own an earlier version of an iPod and am quite happy with it except for a few minor irritances involving my finger and the touch screen lol. Since I have no intention of taking my apple purchases to the next level i have nothign to gain or lose by what apple does. With that said, if I DID buy more devices I WOULD have a personal stake in their closed systems including the battery issue.
  
  Second: If they are actually allowing the ipod touch to access any open wi-fi (excluding your home wi-fi) then this is a good thing. Based upon this article the comment was "iPod users will be able to access the new iTunes Wi-Fi music store and purchase songs in Starbucks' coffee shops". So basically they are focusing on the starbucks wi-fi and not the others. I think one would agree that the statement as is, while not mentioning the ability to use it at any wi-fi spot, gives the impression I had. They could just as easily said any wi-fi spot INCLUDING Starbuck's..
  
  --peace

  6.9.2007 14:11 #6

• c1c

  starbux sux. It is really bad coffee to coffee conosouirs, not to mention they use the coffee in airplane bathrooms to combat shite smells.
  
  Everyone get a cup and make Magic J a little richer. I'm sorry but I hate this company, they wouldn't heat up my cold muffin I bought there.

  6.9.2007 21:02 #7

• Unfocused

  Quote:He hopes the deal brings new customers to StarbucksMost people are pretty dedicated to their coffee house of choice. I don't see how just because you can access the Starbucks playlist will attract people over from say the Borders Cafe...

  7.9.2007 17:18 #8

• rockjckey

  Just great! Now we can walk into a Starbucks and hear Avril Levigne screaming HEY HEY YOU YOU. That's just what I need at 7 in the morning when I'm trying to wake up and face the day. What ever happened to the cool jazz they used to play in there. I guess they need a younger demographic to buy their swill. Time for a change folks. I'll be going elsewhere for my coffee. besides that, they have priced themselves out of the market at $1.60 minimum for a lousy cup of coffee.

  8.9.2007 00:41 #9

• borhan9

  too bad i dont really drink coffee.

  10.9.2007 19:03 #10