Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey, talking to CNN at a private event in San Francisco, said “We think it’s interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential.”
Apple is “watching cryptocurrency”, according to an executive at the tech giant.
Bailey did not elucidate about the possible uses of the technology Apple might pursue. She had been taking about the future of payments at the CNN event.
With Facebook planning to launch its Libra stablecoin next year, it would be surprising indeed if Apple were not watching crypto. But, Bailey’s comments may come as confirmation that more might be going behind the scenes at Apple’s Cupertino HQ.
In February, Apple submitted a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that contained rare details about the computing giant’s interest in blockchain tech.
The document indicated that Apple was involved in the drafting of “Blockchain Guidelines” for the Responsible Business Alliance’s Responsible Minerals Initiative and had been working with the RBA’s blockchain team.
Elsewhere in the CNN report, Bailey said that in launching Apple Pay, the firm has made it harder for users to tip. The firm is looking at the problem, she indicated.
The exec also explained why the company had recently suggested users of the new Apple Card should keep it away from other credit cards, as well as leather and denim. “We want it always to look perfect”, she said.
Cryptocurrency Explained on the Latest Episode of The Simpsons
Could this be a sign that the mainstream media is warming up to bitcoin again like they did before the 2017 rally? The Simpsons featured an almost two-minute segment explaining how cryptocurrency and blockchain work with the actor who played Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory.
Cryptocurrency Explained on The Simpsons
The animated family sitcom show that first aired in 1989 has featured an explanation on the nature of cryptocurrency in its latest episode. The Simpsons is now in its 31st season, and for the 13th episode of the season it brought in Jim Parsons, best known for Sheldon Cooper in the The Big Bang Theory, to explain the concept of cryptocurrency.
In the segment, the animated Parsons tries to prove that he is not a nerd and actually “super cool” by the fact that he is talking about the subject of cryptocurrency. He also fakes jumping over a few buses in a motorcycle and is filmed with piles of cash stacked behind him. The segment also features a singing ledger that seems to really enjoy it when transactions are recorded on him. The sketch is somewhat informative to anyone who haven’t heard about the topic before and it avoids mentioning anti-crypto tropes like that it is only used by hackers or criminals, which it could have done.
In a graphic shown near the end of the segment, the TV show’s creators seem to acknowledge that they know that the presentation makes them look like they have only a novice’s understanding of crypto but they dispute that and let us now that they even know who the real Satoshi is. That might be true as The Simpsons featured Bitcoin twice before 2016 and crypto was also included in a Simpsons video game in 2018.
The Big Bang Theory Connection
This isn’t the first time a TV sitcom involving Jim Parsons has tackled the topic of cryptocurrency. The Big Bang Theory aired an entire episode based on a digital assets storyline in November 2017. The episode, called “The Bitcoin Entanglement”, showed the cast of geeks and nerds learning about the price rally, suddenly remembering they mined some bitcoin a few years before and dreaming about all the stuff they can buy when BTC hits $5,000.
While dedicating a whole episode to bitcoin was exceptional for a fictional show, the topic of cryptocurrency has appeared on other series before, such as Mr. Robot, Startup, CSI Cyber, The Good Wife, Jeopardy, Almost Human, Person Of Interest, House Of Cards, Parks and Recreation, HBO’s Silicon Valley, Supernatural, and Marry Me. Recently even MTV aired an episode of a new show called True Life Crime with a “crypto expert” (Rachel Siegel) that talked about SIM swap hacks.
I’m MTVs first ever “crypto expert” and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. It’s. Ya. Girl. ?
– Crypto Finally ? (@CryptoFinally) February 20, 2020
