‘Extremely disappointing’: Nike kills app for $350 lace-up sneakers

In 2019, Nike got closer than ever to its dream of popularizing self-lacing sneakers by launching the Adapt BB. Using Bluetooth, the sneakers connect to the Adapt app, which allows users to do things like tighten or loosen the shoelaces and control its LED lights. However, Nike announced that it would be “retiring” the app on August 6, at which point it will no longer be available for download on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store; it will also not be updated.

In a recent announcement spotted by The Verge, Nike briefly explains the app’s removal by saying that Nike is “no longer creating new versions of Adapt shoes.” The company began notifying owners of the app’s demise about four months ago.

Those who have already purchased the shoes will still be able to use the app after August 6, but it is likely that iOS or Android updates will render the app unusable. Additionally, those who purchase a new device will no longer be able to download Adapt after August 6.

Without the app, users can’t change the color of the sneaker’s LED lights. The lights will either retain the last color palette selected through the app or, according to Nike, “if you don’t have the app installed, the light will be the default color.” While owners will still be able to use the buttons on the shoe to turn the shoe on or off, check the battery, adjust the tightness of the laces, and save fit settings, the ability to change the lighting and control the shoes via mobile phone was a big selling point for the $350 shoe.

While the Adapt BB is Nike’s third and most widely released self-lacing sneaker to date, the sneakers seem doomed to see some of their most marketed features removed. Nike still maintains other mobile apps that tie directly into the shoes’ features, like its shopping app and its Run Club app for tracking runs.

Sneakerheads disappointed

Adapt BB owners expressed disappointment after hearing the news. One Reddit user who claimed to own multiple pairs of the shoes called the news “hyper-bullshit,” while another described it as “extremely disappointing.”

Some are hoping that Nike will open source the app so that customers can keep all of the original features of their shoes. But Nike has not yet announced its plans to do so. Ars Technica reached out to the company for comment but did not hear back before this press time.

A person named Maverick-1776 on Reddit wrote:

These shoes were so expensive when they came out. I don’t see why it would be so important to continue supporting the app. It doesn’t mean they need to dedicate a development team.

I hope the app doesn’t disappear if you already have it installed. I like using the app to see how much battery is left, or just play with the LEDs.

Reddit’s Taizan said companies like Nike should “provide alternatives or put things in the public domain when they do these things,” adding: “Sustainability also involves maintaining past products, digital or otherwise.”

“I’m leaving. Fuck them.”

Some may not be surprised that Nike’s attempt to market the Back to the Future 2 Nike, for example, also ditched NikeConnect, its $200 NBA jersey app announced in 2017 that turned jersey wearers into marketing gold.

Sneakerheads can’t ignore the Adapt BB’s flashy features, but the shoe had inherent flaws that could frustrate sneakerheads as well. It didn’t take long, for example, for a recommended software update to break the shoes, rendering them unusable for anyone who wanted to tighten the laces (at the time, Nike said the issue affected a small number of owners). Nike’s technical inexperience played a role, as the company’s testing reportedly didn’t fully account for all the different phone models and Bluetooth capabilities being used.

Nike’s botched shoe update was an early warning of what happens when expensive products are tied to technology managed by companies with limited technical expertise.

Reddit user rtuite81 called Adapt’s demise “completely expected, but frustrating.” He added:

I knew this day would come… I just didn’t think it would be this soon LOL. I’ve only had them for a little over a year and worn them about 15 times. Hopefully my current phone will survive the shoes.

This year, we reported that many companies, including Amazon, Oral-B, and Spotify, disappointed early adopters of their ambitious technology projects.

As we’re seeing with AI right now, companies are eager to introduce technology into products that don’t necessarily need it to stand out and make money. But that leaves customers as unwitting guinea pigs for products that are inevitably abandoned. And when customers like Reddit’s henkmanz are disappointed, they lose faith in these trendy products:

I’m done with app-supported products now. If you can’t trust a multi-billion dollar company like Nike to continue supporting a sneaker, how can you trust a toaster maker (or) a car maker? I’m out. Fuck them.