Epic Games & Bandcamp
In an effort to expand its presence in the “metaverse”, Epic Games has acquired Bandcamp, an online music platform. Following the incredible success of Fortnite, Epic is making bold new investments in digital media and content. For now, Bandcamp will remain a standalone app, but keep an eye out for future integration with the Epic Games ecosystem. Epic’s recent gripe with Apple and its App Store’s 30% commission is another example of their bold ambition, taking industry titans head-on.
Apple AR Glasses?
Last week Apple posted a sneak peek of its Spring release event, scheduled for March 8th at 10 A.M. PST. The imagery in the video, along with the use of the word “peek”, sparked rumors that Apple will release their highly-anticipated AR glasses. For years, Apple enthusiasts have teased the idea of a lightweight, completely immersive AR headset that relies on the iPhone’s computing power. Tomorrow, we will find out if the rumors are true.
Air Jordan 1 Rebellionaire
A fresh, new Jordan model transports sneakerheads back to the inception of the brand, when the NBA prohibited Michael Jordan from wearing black/red shoes. The words scribbled over the model capture Jordan’s solidarity in the face of the NBA. Even though the model was initially revealed in October 2021, the pair is finally hitting shelves on March 18th for a retail price of $170. Expect Nike SNKRS and a few Tier 0 retailers to stock this release.
Android Malware Makes Return
On Tuesday, security firm Cleafy revealed that a popular malicious Trojan was back. The malware, named TeaBot, resurfaced in the “QR Code & Barcode Scanner” app in the Google Play store. Unfortunately, the app was downloaded over 10,000 times before it could be removed by Google. Infected devices could potentially have 2FA codes, login credentials, and other sensitive passwords scraped and sent to a remote server if they followed the malwares prompts. Always be cautious when downloading new, unknown apps from the Google Play store; or better yet, install a trusted malware protection service on your Android device.
Surge Pricing for Movie Tickets
With the release of the new The Batman movie, AMC has changed how it prices tickets. In select U.S. markets, the movie chain will begin testing variable ticket pricing. This means that certain high-demand showtimes will cost more than showtimes with lower demand. As more consumers shift to at-home streaming services, theater chains like AMC are forced to try new monetization strategies.
Record Sports NFT Sale
Ventures like NBA TopShot and NFL AllDay have introduced the classic and collectible nature of sports to the web3 world. In an attempt to “top” these projects, Topps, one of the biggest physical sports cards companies, released a one of a kind 1952 Mickey Mantle NFT. The card sold on OpenSea at auction for 175 ETH, equivalent to roughly $471,000 (for reference, NBA Topshot’s highest sale–a Lebron James highlight clip NFT–sold for $230,000). The Mickey Mantle NFT is officially licensed by MLB and sold in cooperation with the Mantle Estate. The holder is granted a 30-minute interview with Mickey Mantle’s two sons, Danny and David Mantle.
Fun fact: Avatar is the worldwide highest-grossing film of all-time, bringing in just around $2.85 billion.
