Apple announced its first Wi-Fi-capable iPod tonight, the iPod Touch, which will come with a dedicated iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store application to buy songs on the go.
But alongside that news came the announcement of Apple's partnership with Starbucks, to allow people to access the coffee chain's hotspots for free from their iPod Touch or iPhone devices, in order to buy tunes (oh, and the same goes for laptops too, incidentally).
The most innovative aspect is the 'Now Playing' service, which will let you buy songs that you've just heard playing in the specific cafe you're sitting in. It's doubly intriguing, because Starbucks now owns its own record label, Hear Music, and so has a new incentive to push its own albums in-store.
Another interesting fact: you won't pay any extra to buy a song from iTunes in Starbucks, which either means that Apple is giving up part of its already super-tight margins to the coffee chain, or there's no revenue share deal and Starbucks is just hoping to capitalise on lots of iPod owners coming in to buy coffee (although whether that involves a payment to T-Mobile, its hotspot supplier, is anyone's guess).
Anyway, more than 600 Starbucks outlets in New York and Seattle will be up and running with the service on 2nd October, before it's expanded to 350 San Francisco stores on 7th November, 500 LA outlets in February next year, 300 stores in Chicago next March, and elsewhere in the US later in 2008.
What about the UK, hmm? It's not like we don't have 17 Starbucks on every high street. The Wi-Fi capable iPod Touch is going on sale here in Blighty, so I'll be interested to see if we can use the Wi-Fi iTunes Store at all, and if so, if we have to pay for hotspot access.
I love the idea of 'you just heard this song in-store, buy it now' though. Maybe Apple can do similar deals with the likes of Primark, Top Shop and those Oxford Street clothes shops that pump out drum'n'bass all day long. Nice.
Today's other Apple posts
Apple debuts iPod Touch with touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Safari and YouTube
Apple unveils new iPod Nano with widescreen video and games
Apple introduces iPod Classic: up to 160GB and 40 hours battery life
New iPod models: UK pricing confirmed
iPhone price cut to $399 in the US, but no UK launch news
Apple launches iPhone custom ringtones and iTunes 7.4
Tech Digest's Liveblog of the Apple launch
Shiny Shiny's Liveblog of the Apple launch
Into fitness and health gadgets? Check out our new site, Connected Health ,
Check out the best iPhone 4 accessories here
From: A fifth of Brits regret buying an iPhone