Starbucks has finally plunged head first into the iPhone revolution by releasing two official iPhone apps for the espresso generation. While their myStarbucks app focuses mainly on mapping closest locations and includes an extended slide show pushing their products, it's the Starbucks Card Mobile app that's being used to test a mobile payment system at select locations. Just like the napkins, sugar and stir sticks at Starbucks, both of these apps are free.
The good news here is that paying for a latte with your iPhone just became a reality, making those plastic Starbucks cards instantly obsolete. Once you've loaded your card info into the app a unique bar code becomes available for scanning right from your iPhone. Simply hold your phone up to a dedicated scanning device near the store's register and it's go time.
The bad news is that only 16 select locations in Seattle and the Silicon Valley are part of the Starbucks Card Mobile test. Making the scan and sip part of this app useless for that other coast and everywhere else in between.
Where this app does benefit card carrying Starbucks junkies is the ability to reload your card from inside the app along with adding and deleting cards on the go. If you're looking to eliminate one more piece of clutter from your wallet and join the growing culture of iPhone coffee achievers, then welcome home java nerd boy.
I'm convinced that having the ability to scan your iPhone to pay for a daily Starbucks fix is an ominous sign that the end of the world is closer than we think. It's time to get out those tinfoil hats fellas.
Comments