Starbucks & Apple Unite…Again

[caption id="attachment_2553" align="alignleft" width="246" caption="Apple and Starbucks team-up once again"][/caption]

Two of the most popular and powerful companies have reunited again. Apple and Starbucks have been long time business partners, incorporating each others business into one another. Ever been to a Starbucks and seen "Pick of the Weeks" at the register? These cards allow Starbucks customers to go to the iTunes Store, and download that song that was on the little card...for free. But the times of downloading a free song have long passed, and Apple had to come up with a new plan to incorporate their business into the most popular, and profitable coffee company in the world. Now, when you go to a Starbucks, instead of taking a card with a song on it, you are given a card with a free app on it. John Lowensohn of CNET News discusses further:

The next time you go into a Starbucks for a drink or snack, you could end up walking out with a free iPhone app too.

Apple and Starbucks have long had a partnership that gives Starbucks customers a way to download free music tracks from Apple's iTunes Music Store, and the two companies are now coming together to do the same with paid applications.

Using the same "Pick of the Week" cards the two companies have been using since April 2008, Starbucks is now using that same system to dole out iPhone applications.

Just like for music, users can find free cards waiting for them at the cash register with codes on the back that can be entered into iTunes or the App Store to get the application.

The first application to be offered for free is Shazam Encore (iTunes), a music-identifying app that sells for $5.99 in the U.S. version of the App Store. That's a considerable deal compared to new music tracks, which typically top out at $1.29.

Starbucks declined to comment on the addition of apps, including whether this takes the place of or simply joins music tracks as part of the Pick of the Week program. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.