When Nike backed away from its Fuelband line of wearables, many assumed the sportswear giant had decided to go all in with the Apple Watch.
That, of course, did not turn out to be the case. While the Nike+ Running app works with the Apple Watch, Cupertino went its own route with the wearable’s Activity tracking tech and built in Workout app.
However, the pair’s long-term partnership isn’t about to peter out now Apple is fending for itself, according to Nike CEO Mike Parker.
Speaking to CNBC (via AppleInsider), Parker said consumers can expect “more from Apple and Nike, two great brands, lots of potential and opportunity, and that continues.”
Despite shutting down its own line, Parker said wearables are “a really important part of our future, and really central to our brand.”
Whether this will remain an app-centric approach or whether it will involve new hardware or partnerships with manufacturers like Apple remains to be seen.
Read more: Apple Watch: Best apps to download first
The watch itself doesn’t benefit from GPS technology, meaning users must bring their iPhone along for the ride in order to track their performance on a map.
There have also been questions surrounding the device’s ability to measure distance by learning the cadence of the runner’s step.
The user interface also doesn’t default to the Workout app when running so it’s difficult for users to see stats, splits, heart rate and more while on the go.
Would you like to see Nike make a return to wearable hardware? Let us know your thoughts below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
