Paves the way for a more simplified digital music buying experience in which one can purchase music tracks while sipping a cup of coffee and reading the daily paper.
Apple and Starbucks have announced a new partnership that lets customers wirelessly browse, search for, preview, buy and download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks onto one of the new iPod touches, iPhone, or PC or Mac running iTunes while at a participating location.
When a customer enters a participating location, their device will automatically recognize the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store using a high-speed Wi-Fi wireless network with no connection fee or hotspot login. Customers will then be able to browse, search and freely preview songs, including the “Now Playing” service which will display the name of the song playing in the Starbucks store at that moment.
Prices and selection on the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store are the same as on the regular iTunes Store, and the service will initially make its debut at more than 600 Starbucks company-operated locations in New York and Seattle on October 2.
“Getting free access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and the ‘Now Playing’ service at Starbucks is a great way for customers to discover new music,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Imagine walking into a participating Starbucks, hearing a great song, and being able to instantly download it onto your iPod or iPhone. We think this is very cool.”
“With this partnership, we’re bringing Apple’s leadership in digital music together with not only our retail footprint, but the unique Starbucks experience, to offer customers a world-class digital music experience,” said Howard Schultz, chairman, Starbucks Coffee Company. “Introducing this new service is a natural extension of our music strategy which only enhances the retail coffee experience for customers by helping them discover and acquire new music instantly.”
After its debut in New York and Seattle on October 2, the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store will continue its national rollout to 350 Starbucks stores in the San Francisco Bay area on November 7; 500 stores in Los Angeles in early February 2008; 300 stores in Chicago in March 2008; and additional markets throughout the US later in 2008.
Most Starbucks are currently T-Mobile Hotspot Wi-Fi locations so this move merely lets you log on and purchase music on the network free instead of having to pay the usual connection fee.
Its not exactly a revolutionary concept to let customers buy stuff easier, but it does pave the way for a more simplified digital music buying experience in which one can purchase music tracks while sipping a cup of coffee and reading the daily paper.
Now that’s an experience I’m sure we can all agree is worthwhile.
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I've been interested in P2P since the early, high-flying days of Napster and KaZaA. I believe that analog copyright laws are ill-suited to the digital age, and that art and culture shouldn't be subject to the whims of international entertainment industry conglomerates. Twitter | Google Plus
@Boomer I totally agree. I mean it shouldnt be that big a deal that u can now buy stuff for free.....its an oxymoron to say the least.
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