Starbucks announced Thursday that they will be introducing new phone charging technology in their coffee shops.
They are called Powermat Spots. These table hotspots will provide easy access for customers to wirelessly charge their phones without hunting for a power outlet or searching for a charger.
According to the report from the Starbuck’s Newsroom, the technology is expected to enhance the environment of the coffee shops across the nation.
“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,” said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer at Starbucks. “We are thrilled to offer our customers that next level of convenience with Powermat wireless charging. Rather than hunting around for an available power outlet, they can seamlessly charge their device while enjoying their favorite food or beverage offering right in our stores.”
Stassi Anastassov, president of Duracell at Procter & Gamble, said this new technology will set the standard for other companies.
“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,” Anastassov said. “This endeavor is a critical step in Duracell’s vision to make dead battery anxiety a thing of the past. When Starbucks introduced WiFi in their stores in 2001, 95 percent of devices didn’t have WiFi, and multiple standards hampered the industry. The rest is history. Starbucks plans to offer Powermat nationally is likely to settle any lingering standards question, and usher wireless power into the mainstream.”
The Duracell Powermats are expected to begin with the franchises in the San Franciso Bay area, and some stores currently have them in Boston. They predict the Powermats will gradually hit the national market by 2015.