Starbucks adding wireless charging points to UK stores, starting with London

Starbucks is best known for its freshly brewed coffee, but today the company's announced it's going to begin serving customers an entirely different kind of perk. Just as McDonald's is adding wireless charging points to its fast-food spots, Starbucks is doing the same, so you can recharge your phone while also re-energising your brain. Starbucks has already outfitted various stateside locations with Powermat's PMA wireless charging points, and the partnership between the two companies is extending to the UK. It's no secret that competitive wireless charging standard Qi is the more popular of the two, so if your high-end handset has wireless charging functionality, chances are it won't work with Starbucks' plates. That's why every location with the complimentary points will also have plenty of little dongles for customers to plug into their phones and tablets to make them compatible.

For the time being, there will be a plenty of dongles to go around at participating stores, but you can also buy one for keeps for £10. If people take to pinching the freebies, however, then Starbucks might have to change tack and make all customers pay (that's your cue to be the good guy). As of today, the wireless charging points have made their way into ten central London Starbucks venues -- where they're bound to get the most use -- but a wider rollout is planned, though no word yet on where and when that might happen.