The End of Long Coffee Lines

Apple has filed a patent for a wireless system that would let users skip lines at fast-food joints, coffee shops and more by submitting orders through a handheld device, then receiving a notice when the double tall latte is ready to go. The system would work through a music player, a phone or a PDA and, ideally, allow the tech-saavy crowd to save some time. It would also track customers' buying behavior, keep note of their favorite stores, and what they like to order.

Granted, this is just an application, and the system might never come to be, but there could be interesting implications if it does. For instance, one blogger speculates that it could transform the iPhone into a kind of mobile wallet.—Gregory Mone

Comments

[J]

With the iphone being so unsafe (from an IT standpoint, trust me) would you really want to use it as a wallet???

[Alan]

Surely this has already been done before? In some countries you can already purchase things with a mobile phone. I don't see this as something not obvious or not being done before.

[geoff]

In Korea I used my phone as a wallet, bus/subway pass, store coupon holder. Store coupon bar codes could be shown on the phone's screen and read at a store. If there was a line at a restaurant, you would leave your cell number and get a text when it was almost time for your name to be called. Not sure why this country is so slow