Nike is discontinuing its Adapt BB self-lacing sneakers, providing an example of what can happen with app-dependent technology. First announced in 2019, the shoes used a Back to the Future II The classic-style lacing system called FitAdapt could be adjusted manually or with an app. The company will no longer make new Adapt shoes and will retire the Nike Adapt app, it said in a statement. help document Seen by The edge.
“After five years, we will be retiring the Adapt app and removing it from the Apple and Android app stores, globally, on August 6, 2024,” the page states. “Don't worry, your Adapt shoes will still work without the app. See below for more information on the Adapt app retirement.”
An FAQ section states that the Adapt app “should continue to work” after you delete it, if you already had it installed. However, you won't be able to move it to a new device, and future iOS updates may limit or break its functionality.
Nike goes on to state that if the app is deleted, the shoes will retain the last light color selected. Functions that are still available without it include turning on, checking battery status, adjusting fit, saving fit, untying the shoe's laces, and turning off.
Perhaps the biggest loss with the end of Adapt is accessibility, as the shoes were marketed in part as a way to make tying shoes easier for people with limited mobility. It also shows the danger of tying the functionality of physical technology to custom apps: once the app loses support, the product gets much worse, and there's not much that can be done about it.
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