Starbucks has started offering free apps to iPhone owners. Somewhat similar to Amazon’s Appstore giveaways, the Pick of the Week gives guests a card highlighting the app and giving them a redemption code. Early guests were getting the song recognition app Shazam Encore, a title that normally costs $6.
The coffee shop hasn’t explained whether this replaces the earlier music promo, nor how developers are compensated. Starbucks has usually absorbed the cost of songs in hopes of making it back on coffee and food. The higher prices of some apps will impose a steeper hit.
Both are probably providing at least some compensation for developers.
While Starbucks has released a version of it Starbucks Cards App for Android, Apple and Starbucks have had a deal virtually since the start of the iPhone’s history when they began offering special offers when on Wi-Fi. The two are often considered mutually interested since Apple devices make up a disproportionate amount of Starbucks visitors’ technology, while Starbucks has every incentive to get coffee drinkers to stay longer and have incentives to return.
