So, What's the Apple/Starbucks/AT&T Relationship Really Mean? Here's Frost & Sullivan's Gerry Purdy's Take....

Doing what I do in real life, I've had the chance to present clients to lots of industry analysts who cover a variety of technologies - particularly in the wireless and mobile space.

One analyst / thought leader I have long admired is  Gerry Purdy, Ph.D. - VP & Chief Analyst, Mobile & Wireless at Frost & Sullivan.

I  remember pitching one client to who who had the first cellular modem; another who became a leader in PCMCIA modem cards; and another who recently introduced an innovative pen and touch technology for tablet computers that is now the basis of the Dell Latitude XT.

So what does Gerry Purdy think of the Apple/Starbucks/AT&T  Realationship?

Here's his take:

"The partnership of Apple, Starbucks and AT&T to deliver valuable content to Starbucks customers is both innovative and important.  It's more of a brand play for each company although Starbucks has promised to provide unique music and video programming to customers that could add real value to the partnership.  People still have to be iTunes members and customers of AT&T Wi-Fi but this likely will be a model to be duplicated with other companies in the future.  Kudos to all three players."

Thanks Gerry!