by Shane Henson — August 2, 2013—Starbucks, already a popular location for people to get their daily dose of caffeine and work done in the process, is piloting new technology at select shops intended to give customers even more of a reason to stop by and stay, while setting a precedent for scores of other facilities. These shops in California’s Silicon Valley are offering the ability to charge wireless devices by simply setting them on tables equipped with Duracell Powermat’s wireless charging technology.
“Duracell Powermat offers the cure for dead battery anxiety,” said Stassi Anastassov, president of Duracell at Procter & Gamble. “Look around any Starbucks and you will see smartphones being placed on tables. Today these phones are losing power as they sit there, but once a table is equipped with Powermat technology, simply placing a phone on the table will recharge it.”
According to Duracell Powermat, a joint venture of Duracell and Powermat Technologies, the offering of its wireless charging in Silicon Valley follows a successful test of the wireless charging technology in select Starbucks stores in the Boston area.
Starbucks expects wireless charging to be well received by its customers, who can often be found drinking beverages while using their various wireless devices.
“We know that our customers use our cafes in a number of ways beyond buying coffee. For some, it’s their home office, for others it’s their place to get away and have some time to themselves. More and more customers are using Starbucks as their home base, and they are looking to recharge in a number of ways,” said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer for Starbucks Coffee Company. “We have seen positive customer response to wireless charging through our tests in Boston, and are pleased to now extend this experience for our customers in the Silicon Valley area.”
According to Duracell Powermat, wireless charging at Starbucks will comply with the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) standard—the fastest growing standard and ecosystem for wireless power—so that any PMA-certified device will charge simply by being placed on the tabletop.
Several companies, including Duracell Powermat, offer PMA-certified smartphone cases and portable batteries, and AT&T recently announced that many of its smartphones will ship with PMA wireless charging technology next year. Blackberry, HTC, LG, Samsung, ZTE and other smartphone makers have also signed on to the PMA, says Duracell Powermat.
