At MWC, we talked to Nokia's Bryan Biniak, Vice President of Developers & App Development about how Nokia is working with brands and services. He explained that "our goal is to have all the apps people want, but better", and that the company wanted to build "a halo around our products, that are enabled by Nokia's new technology".
The use of the Nokia Music and HERE Maps APIs in the Coffee Bean is a good example of this strategy, showcasing the way Nokia is working closely with brands to create app experiences that are "better on Lumia". Other examples include the Burton app, and forthcoming apps from Go Pro, Tumblr, and Foursquare.
Ultimately it is a continuation of Nokia's existing software differentiation strategy (Nokia Music, Here Maps, Nokia Reading, Nokia Trailers), but the extension of this to third party apps is a subtle evolution of what has gone before.
Windows Store description for The Coffee Bean app:
Your official Windows Phone application for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is finally here! Now you can find your flavor by creating custom, one-of-a-kind beverages including all of The Coffee Bean® signature beverages like the Original Ice Blended® drinks, specialty espresso drinks and even our pure (caffeine free) beverage offerings!
Our store locator makes it easy for you to find your nearest The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® location. Looking for something more specific? Every store listed lets you know what features are offered at that exact location. Whether it’s our free WiFi, Custom Oatmeal Bar, Drive-Thru and much, much more!
The Coffee Bean app, which is available for both Windows Phone 7.5 and 8.0, can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store, but do note that it is ony available in the US.