Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) in partnership with Duracell Powermat, a joint-venture between Duracell and Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) starts installing wireless charging stations at the stores of the world’s largest coffee chain in the San Francisco Bay area.
“From WiFi and the in-store Starbucks Digital Network to mobile payment and digital music downloads, we have always tried to anticipate our customers’ needs early in the adoption curve and provide a world-class solution. We are thrilled to offer our customers that next level of convenience with Powermat wireless charging,” according to Adam Brotman, chief digital officer at Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX).
According to the coffee company, it will expand the installation of Powermat wireless charging stations to additional major markets in the United States next year. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) expects a full national rollout over time. It is also planning initial pilots in Asia and Europe within the year.
Brotman said customers will now be able to seamlessly recharge their devices using the Powermat wireless charging stations while enjoying their favorite beverages or food offered at Starbucks stores. He added that customers have positive response to the pilot tests.
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) said its stores will have “Powermat Spots,” designated areas on tables and counters where customers can place and recharge their compatible devices wirelessly.
Powermat Technologies CEO Ran Poliakine said, “Powermat Spots in Starbucks are the result of almost a decade of scientific research spanning material sciences, magnetic induction and mesh networking.” He added that the availability of wireless charging at the stores of Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) “marks the first meaningful upgrade” on how people access power in more than a century given the fact that the two-pronged power-plug has been used since the era of the horse drawn carriage.
According to Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), the Powermat Spots conform with the open standard set by Power Matters Alliance (PMA), a global, not-for-profit, industry organization dedicated in creating a better model for battery equipped devices using wireless charging technology.
Stassi Anastassov, president of Duracell at Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) said, “Starbucks is transforming the way consumers get power to their phones, in much the same way it made WiFi a standard amenity in public places. This endeavor is a critical step in Duracell’s vision to make dead battery anxiety a thing of the past.”
