NexTech CEO Evan Gappelberg calls Mastercard's new augmented reality credit card app 'ridiculously fun'

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) has unveiled a new feature designed to help its cardholders maximize their card benefits: an augmented reality (AR) app. The app, coming to iPhones in the second quarter of 2020, creates a photorealistic 360-degree virtual environment that users will see as they scan their phones around them.  According to a statement, cardholders will encounter three interactive portals representing the three categories of Mastercard benefits: Experiences, Everyday Value and Peace of Mind. READ: NexTech AR CEO Evan Gappelberg touts his company's bona fides as Snap, others pour money into augmented reality Users can tap to travel through the portals — Peace of Mind, for instance, goes to a spa — and explore their benefits, which are each represented by an item. A set of golf clubs, the company said, might lead to a pop up screen explaining Mastercard’s Priceless Golf benefits.  Evan Gappelberg, CEO of the pure play AR company NexTech AR Solutions Corp (CSE:NTAR) (OTCMKTS:NEXCF) is all in.  “This sounds so ridiculously fun,” Gappelberg told Proactive. “I’m definitely getting one of these AR credit cards, how about you?” Gappelberg, for his part, knows a thing or two about fun AR. NexTech has worked with companies to highlight their products in unique ways, including working with Budweiser to bring a limited edition beer can to life with interactive designs. For Mastercard, making it fun and engaging was the point.  "At Mastercard, we’re using our technology and solutions to deliver multi-sensory experiences for consumers every day – whether they’re shopping or exploring the card benefits they care about," Chief Marketing and Communications officer Raja Rajamannarar. "By leveraging an intuitive AR design, cardholders can now easily find and fully explore their benefits that otherwise might have been overlooked." Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com  Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel