Nike+ Running App for Apple Watch
Earlier today, Nike CEO Mark Parker sat down with CNBC for a video interview to discuss his company exiting wearable hardware, Fitbit’s IPO, fitness software, a partnership with Apple, and the Apple Watch. Asked where the Nike and Apple partnership goes from here, Parker said “it continues,” and that “we are excited about the potential that the Apple/Nike relationship has.”
Parker noted that Nike already offers the Nike+ app on the Apple Watch and that Nike has over 60 million digital fitness software users. Parker said Nike is “working with Apple” on new software and experiences. He ended by saying there is “more” coming from Apple and Nike. Apple and Nike are already close partners for HealthKit as well.
Apple and Nike’s relationship dates back nearly a decade with Apple releasing a special chip for Nike shoes that talked to early generations of the iPod for steps tracking. The pair of companies enhanced this partnership by installing step tracking sensors in the second-generation iPod touch and iPhone 3GS last decade.
Additionally, as is well known, Apple CEO Tim Cook is a Nike fan and sits on the fitness and sports company’s Board of Directors. Last year, Nike shuttered its FuelBand business to focus on fitness software. Apple has also poached multiple former FuelBand engineers to work on the Apple Watch, we reported in the months leading up to the product’s introduction last fall.
The full video interview can be watched below:
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I’m bummed they stopped investing in the development of the Nike GPS watch, it was a great running watch.
Sure, no doubt Nike has a great brand, but their software side is awful. No innovation, no social capabilities, no advanced training options, just absolutely nothing to keep a semi-serious runner happy. They are still bringing back old features from previous versions that were pulled from the app when pushed out their HealthKit update. I’d recommend using RunKeeper or Strava.
Apple watch is way too expensive to not include native GPS tracking, for this single reason I will not add an Apple watch to my collection of Apple products that includes 2 desktops, 2 laptops, 2 iPads, 3 iPhones.
I would like to see Apple release a Nike+ Edition with GPS for Runners…That would be AWESOME and a definite purchase from this consumer.