Apple is set to hold its 33rd edition of the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, wherein they will share the developments of four new devices and software models. While these are the most anticipated topics for fans everywhere, rumors have circulated that Apple may also reveal NFTs.
According to MacRumors, Apple has developed trading cards that can be viewed in augmented reality, adding fuel to the fire that the company will be introducing NFTs sooner than later. The speculation stems from the discovery that clicking on the Memoji characters will reveal an augmented reality mode with three character cards waiting to be claimed.
The Memoji characters are nothing new to loyal Apple fans as they have become a fixture in its consumer branding strategy in recent times. The Memoji characters stemmed from cultural affiliation with memes and mascot brand marketing. However, it was only this year that Apple integrated an augmented reality element into its strategy.
When the cards are placed on the surface with the AR interface, users can tap and open it up to see an assembly of colorful Memojis. Then, if swiped, they can go back to the cards for other options. For every card pick, users will get three separate cards, and there are nine card options to choose from.
The Memoji feature is one of the more detailed interactive AR features designed for an Apple event, as many typically only feature creative designs of the Apple logo. At WWDC, the cards are expected to be positioned as Web2 elements without any tradable value, serving only as collectibles.
The speculation of NFTs entering the Apple system started when CEO Tim Cook revealed in November last year that he is a crypto investor and holds digital coins. He also shared his optimism for adopting augmented reality, and metaverse technologies in society during Apple’s Q1 earnings call earlier this year.
Apple was initially set to release a mixed-reality headset that offers virtual and augmented functions during the WWDC conference, but technical setbacks in its development diminished any hope.
