I actually netted about 50 cents today during a stop at Starbucks — that’s if you total the two 99-cent ‘song of the day” freebies I left with and subtract a tall cup of java (the kind you drink, not the kind you can’t use on an iPhone). Of course, that also assumes I was planning to buy KT Tunstall’s One Day and Bob Dylan’s Jokerman. The two are part of the grand Starbucks-iTunes 50-million song giveaway designed to draw attention to the songselling-WiFi partnership announced last month. Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhones and Touch iPods have software that enables direct-to-device downloading; others can use iTunes from WiFi-capable notebook computers.
But most people getting the songs aren’t anywhere near the stores in New York or Seattle where WiFi downloading is first being introduced. Instead, what’s really being promoted here in St. Louis and most other Starbucks is the chance to pay for an album at Starbucks and then download it, instead of the usual process of buying a CD and ripping it to create a digital version. My local store already had a couple of CD-sized album certificates to sell; if I really wanted, I could buy one, then download using my T-Mobile WiFi account.
Starbucks Entertainment president Ken Lombard told the NYT it’s all about instant gratification: “You
Why in the world would I go to Starbuck's when the only thing I can use their WiFi for is to get to the iTunes online store? I can go across the street to a competing and cheaper coffee shop, get FREE WiFi that allows me to access the iTunes store AND the rest of the web. Why does anyone really care about the Starbuck's deal? As an iPhone owner I am, yet again, disappointed with Apple and their meager and paltry 'hand outs' to those of us who have been loyal Apple fans.
Starbucks has a problem because its wifi is not free.
Its a big hassle to get online and you have to pay $7 or some nonsense. Apple should look more closely at real usage.
I love my iPhone, but Apple are holding it back from the stunning success it could have with silly deals and restrictive practices. Quit it, Apple!
Starbucks also have this closed attitude – when they have the opportunity to be the biggest wifi coffee shops worldwide, they want to monetize every little thing.
Dumb.