Archive notice: This article was originally published on October 25, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
As part of the recently concluded agreement between Apple and the Starbucks coffeehouse chain on wireless music downloads in Starbucks branches, Akamai was selected as the exclusive content distributor. As the company reports, it will successively equip thousands of Starbucks locations in the USA with content delivery servers, through which Akamai will enable Starbucks customers to download music quickly and reliably with the aid of wireless access.
Equipping Starbucks branches with servers specially adapted for the Akamai service is intended to bring numerous advantages. By providing the content directly in the respective Starbucks LAN, the so-called “Last Mile” of the Internet can be shortened significantly, Akamai argues: This means drastically better performance for users, while at the same time eliminating for Starbucks the time and costs that would otherwise be incurred for expanding the Internet connection of the individual branches. In addition, Akamai controls the “Middle Mile” with its patented technology and always determines the best and fastest route through the Internet in real time. Apple’s iTunes offering thus reaches the Starbucks branches directly in a fast and reliable manner, the technology provider summarizes.
“Access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and Starbucks’ exclusive ‘Now Playing’ service makes it even easier for customers to discover and spontaneously purchase new songs,” explains Ken Lombard, President of Entertainment at Starbucks. “By using servers managed by Akamai, we can ensure first-class download quality while at the same time offering our customers an individual music experience in their favorite café.”
Apple and Starbucks enable Coffee Store customers to wirelessly access, purchase and download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store onto iPod Touch players, iPhone smartphones as well as Macs and PCs with iTunes. When a customer enters a Starbucks branch equipped with a special server, the iTunes-compatible device automatically recognizes the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store via the T-Mobile hotspot network. There are neither connection costs nor is registration with the network necessary. Starbucks customers can display information about the song currently playing and access the music titles in the iTunes catalog. With the completion of the second US rollout phase, which is planned for November 8, 2007, more than 900 Starbucks cafés in New York, Seattle and San Francisco will be equipped with the dedicated servers.
