Android and iPhone users in the U.S. have had it good with an official Starbucks app for years, while folks on Windows phones have been relegated to an admittedly good but still third-party alternative. That ends in the near future though, according to news out of Starbucks’ annual shareholder meeting.
In the hometown of Starbucks, Seattle, Washington, Starbucks held their annual shareholder meeting to speak on the current and future plans of the company with its investors. While the financial talk was likely riveting, one amazing bit of news came out via Janet Tu, a writer for the Seattle Times on Twitter. The tweet is embedded below.
Starbucks says it will be releasing a Windows Phone app soon. #sbuxmtg2016
— Janet Tu (@janettu) March 23, 2016
Obviously, there’s not much more to add to this other than how important the app is for Starbucks as a company and business. Starbucks reportedly handles 1 out of 5 transactions through their mobile app’s in-built payment method. It’s also important to note that the Microsoft Band has a Starbucks app designed for it, but the connected Windows phone hasn’t and won’t until the app launches later this year.
Hopefully, Starbucks simply misspoke by referring to Windows Phone, and their app will be of the Universal Windows App variety. According to GeekWire, Starbucks is working directly with Microsoft, and so that would hopefully imply an app that’s more in line with the platform’s future.
“[Our] team has been working in partnership with Microsoft and we are within 30 to 45 days of releasing a Windows Phone app,” said [Starbucks president and chief operating office Kevin] Johnson, the former Microsoft executive, at Starbucks’ shareholder meeting today.
As good as third-party apps like Buckstar are getting in the Windows Store, it’s always good to see a company venture into Microsoft ecosystem to release a first-party app for their service, especially when it’s something as popular as Starbucks coffee.
