I just switched from an iPhone to an Android phone. No slowdowns! But where’s the Android App Store? I’m confused how to proceed and get my one must-have app: Starbucks. Can ya help a gal out, Dave?
While there’s quite a bit that’s functionally the same in the Android world as it is in the iOS / iPhone world, there are some things that are different too. Some are better – Android settings are easier and more informative of your phone’s state and the interface is way more customizable – and others are, well, more clumsy, like how Google has broken down iTunes functionality into a number of apps and features. Still, a few days should get you pretty much up to speed, but you’re right, there’s something about how Google thinks about the Android world itself that’s markedly different from Apple’s view of iOS.
In this instance, Google believes the majority of apps you’re going to download and install are going to be games, so the Android App Store is actually called Google Play. “Play” might be an odd place to look for the Starbucks app or other business utilities and tools, but that’s where it all lives. If you’re really curious about all the differences, there are some good references online, of course. Suffice to say, though, once you get over the hurdle of missing the elegance and smooth interface experience of the iPhone, you’re going to love your Android world. Add themes and you’ll be wishing you’d have switched earlier.
Back to Starbucks and the Starbucks app, however. To start, you want to find the Play Store icon:
You can see it above.
Safety Tip: One big difference between iOS and Android is that iPhone users have one place to get all possible apps and programs. Android has multiple stores, but I strongly recommend that you do not download and install apps from anywhere other than the Play Store. Android also has malware and viruses, and downloading from third party sites significantly increases the chance you’ll get infected.
Tap on it and you’ll see lots of options and, yes, games. Tap into the search box and enter “starbucks” to quickly find the app you seek. The results will look like this:
Not sure why Starbucks Kuwait has its own app, but… a close examination of the Starbucks app info is informative because Android shows lots of info: it’s rated 4.4 out of 5 stars by 419,442 people and has been downloaded a staggering 10 million times by Android users. That’s popularity! You can get more info about the app including more specific screen shots, etc, by tapping on “MORE INFO” but let’s just get the darn thing, shall we?
To download an app, tap on “INSTALL”. It’ll then download the app…
At 30MB it’s not very big so the download should happen pretty quickly! Once it’s completed the download, you’ll see:
One nice thing: It’s really easy in Android to uninstall an app, as you can see. But you’re already in line at Starbucks and ready to order your mocha frappuccino with caramel walls, right? So let’s OPEN this app instead!
Sign in, and you’re ready to load up your card and charge away. Have fun, and enjoy your ‘bux experience and, more importantly, the brave new world of Android.
Pro Tip: I have lots of Android help here on the site you should check out while you’re coming up to speed…