After offering UK and Ireland customers free iTunes tracks with a hot beverage through high street caffeine temple Starbucks a month or so ago, Apple is once again working on a special blend of coffee and tech by offering to help pay for your tea break.
But before you get excited and rush off to the nearest of the 700 ‘Bucks branches – this doesn’t kick start until early 2012. And no, you won’t pay nuffin’ for your muffin. But you will be able to use your iPhone or iPad instead of digging around for pocket change. Already available in the States since early 2011, the one-touch app makes paying for your coffee really quick and easy, cutting off a crucial ten seconds from waiting time using your smartphone
Starbucks UK VP of Marketing, Brian Waring says “Customers want to be served quickly, but fewer want to use cash. We wanted to find a way for them to pay in the quickest way possible. Because our customers want it, we have created our own custom-built mobile payment technology rather than waiting for the near field communication technology which is currently not widely available. We’re always thinking of new ways to add value to our customers and give them more reasons to choose Starbucks.”
There’s nothing on the Apple App Store just yet, but we’ll keep stay on this story and let our readers know what’s brewing!
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