As one of those early iPhone users with a US iTunes and App Store account, using the Starbucks PH on my iPhone is not convenient because Starbucks PH refuses to make their app available in other App Store markets. As a benchmark, you will find Starbucks China, Starbucks Kuwait, and Starbucks Hong Kong, in the US App Store.
Granting that we have a lot of overseas workers, migrants, and Balikbayans, and not to forget expats, I find it really shortsighted of Starbucks PH not to have it available in the other markets — it is not as if it will cost them extra to make it available.A possible solution is to toggle your App Store account between PH and US markets, but that it so inconvenient.
You have to remember which market is currently active when you update the applications. And it is highly recommended that you always update your applications.Another solution is to migrate your applications to the PH market. Personally, this is too expensive, considering that I have purchased a lot of applications from the US App Store already.
Luckily I found a hack to make it work for me, without toggling my App Store market or moving to the PH App Store. And no, it does not require that you buy another iPhone. Here’s what you need to do:Find a way to get the Starbucks PH app.
You can create an App Store PH account to download the app, or you can use a friend’s smartphone with the Starbucks PH app — don’t worry, you won’t lose your Starbucks PH data, nor will your friend’s, just make sure that you log-out after.
Login on the Starbucks PH app and Select Pay. This will bring up the barcode that is scanned by the reader when you pay for your drink. Take a screenshot of that barcode, and save it.
You may now delete your Starbucks PH account. If you downloaded the app, you can delete it now, and shift back from App Store PH to your original App Store market.
With the barcode saved, you need to convert it and make it compatible with your iPhone’s Wallet. I use the USD0.99 MakePass application (available on iOS and OS X). I used the OS X version. Airdrop the screenshot of your barcode to your Mac and use the MakePass application to do its magic.
Double tap the Side button to bring up the Wallet, select your Starbucks PH card and have your barista scan it to pay for your drink!
I did not dig deeper on the Starbucks PH app if it works the same way as the Starbucks US app, which provides an iPhone Wallet card. If not, you can follow the procedure above to get your iPhone Wallet card.
Having your Starbucks PH card on your iPhone Wallet automatically makes it available on your Apple Watch as well. Double the convenience. Now I don’t need to bring out the physical card to pay for my favorite Starbucks PH drinks!