Nike gets in step with iPod fad
2006-05-24 08:14
New York - Nike said on Tuesday it is making running shoes that
will tell the wearer how far and how fast they have run and
how many calories they have burned.
The instant information will come from a miniature Apple
Computer iPod and a new wireless system called Nike+iPod.
Nike shares rose over two percent following the announcement
of its plan to capitalise on the popularity of iPod portable
digital music players with runners, 75% of whom already
listen to music while they exercise.
$29 price tag
Using a Nike+iPod Sports Kit, expected to sell for about
$29, miniature versions of the iPod will be able to give audio
data on time, distance, pace and calories burned on-demand
through an attachable receiver that gets data from a sensor in
the insole of special Nike shoes.
The new Air Zoom Moire line of running shoes - priced at
$100 - are the first to have space for the sensor, but others
will follow, Nike said.
The removable sensor, about the size of a piece of bubble gum, can be used with any compatible shoe.
'Smart shoe'
In 2004 archrival Adidas-Salomon AG launched a so-called
"smart shoe," embedded with a computer chip and a motor that
constantly adjusts the shoe's cushioning to suit the runner's
needs.
But Nike chief executive Mark Parker said such a "smart
shoe," would not, by itself, be able to access relevant data
until after the run was done and the shoes had been removed.
"We realised making a smart shoe wasn't really smart
enough," Parker said at a New York launch event attended by
Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong
and marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe.
Performance clothing
Nike, the world's biggest maker of sports shoes and
apparel, also launched a line of performance clothing,
including jackets, shirts and shorts, that holds iPods and
keeps wires untangled and out of sight.
"We share the same types of consumers (with Apple)," said
Trevor Edwards, Nike's vice president of global brand
management. "We know that these two brands work really well
together."
Apple, which has shipped over 50 million iPods, controls 77% of the US market for portable digital music players, according to market research firm NPD Group.
Sports music
The connector kit will be available in both Nike and Apple
stores within two months, the companies said, adding that Nike
will also sell nano iPods, but Apple will not sell Nike shoes.
Apple will also include a Nike Sport Music section on its
iTunes music store, which will feature playlists of well-known
athletes such as Armstrong, the companies said.
The Nike+iPod system will let runners call up a favourite
song instantly and then instantly upload their workout
information to a Nike website, where they can share the information with their friends.