Starbucks To Introduce Wireless Charging In Their Stores Across U.S.

Starbucks has a new offer on the menu and its caffeine free. The coffee giant is teaming up with Duracell to offer wireless charging of smartphones along with their usual caffeine hit. The charging points will be fixed into the tables and counters and whenever a compatible device comes in contact with it, the battery will start charging automatically. At present, there are two ways to charge your cellphone wirelessly: Qi and PMA. Starbucks will be using the latter which means it’ll become mainstream in coming years.

Currently, there are Powermat spots at selected Starbucks in Boston and San Jose. In a press conference, Starbucks said that the rollouts will begin at the stores in San Francisco and the Bay Area and will further expand to other markets in 2015. Also the pilots for wireless charging are expected to take place at stores in Europe and Asia within a year.


Starbucks has never been afraid of trying something new to increase their market. Remember the introduction of Wi-Fi in their stores in 2001 when almost 91% of cellphones didn't support Wi-Fi and the in-store digital network to mobile payment and digital music downloads.

Starbucks has definitely come up with a a new marketing strategy to lure in more customers. Now the main question which remains unanswered is - will this be the moment when wireless charging of cellphones becomes mainstream? We'll have to wait and watch for that.

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