As the most high-volume mobile payment U.S. retailer, Starbucks carries a lot of clout in mobile circles. So much so, that when Starbucks opted to not support a wearable Android payment app called WearBucks, the app decided to find a way to handle Starbucks payments anyway, according to a report in CNET.
“Once you install the free app, you can log in to your Starbucks account and add your Starbucks card number to the app. Doing so will allow you to both view your current balance, and display a barcode for payment. Launching the app is just a voice command of ‘Start Pay with Starbucks’ away,” the story said. “You currently have to manually enter your Starbucks card number for the app to create the barcode.”
Not that geeks ever go to Starbucks, but it will be interesting to see how many Android users (who are typically slightly less tech experimental than their iPhone counterparts) end up testing these devices in latte proximity. There has been much debate over whether wearables—be they watches or Google Glass—would ever make a meaningful dent in the payments space, given that such users often have a traditional smartphone very nearby. But if it’s going to happen, Starbucks is one of the most likely places for it to start.
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