Edible Apple

First free wi-fi and now free apps. I’m not a coffee drinker but hell if Starbucks isn’t giving me a reason to stop in. The nationwide coffeehouse chain announced yesterday a new promotion whereby users can download iPHone applications for free.

“Just like for music”, Josh Lowensohn writes for CNET, users can find free cards waiting for them at the cash register with codes on the back that can be entered into iTunes or the App Store to get the application.”

And if the first app up on the docket is any indication, the apps available won’t be the $0.99 run of the mill variety. The first app available free of charge for Starbucks customers is Shazam, a popular app that lets users identify a song playing by holding up an iOS device’s earpiece to a music source. While initially available as a free app, Shazam now costs $5.99 on the iTunes App Store so this deal is clearly one worth taking advantage of.

This of course isn’t the first time Apple and Starbucks have partnered up. In 2007, Apple and Starbucks cooperated on a program where iPhone and iPod users on a Starbucks wi-fi network would be able to purchase music playing in the store without having to log into any account.

But back to the free app program from Starbucks/Apple, I wonder who’s reimbursing the developers on each transaction – Starbucks or Apple. We have to imagine they’re getting something aside from free publicity.

via CNET