Nike is discontinuing its self-lacing Adapt BB sneakers and explaining what could happen with app-based technology. First It was announced in 2019sports shoes a Back to the Future II a style power connector system called FitAdapt that can be adjusted manually or by software. The company will no longer produce new Adapt shoes and is discontinuing the Nike Adapt App help document noted by The Verge.
“After five years, we are retiring the Adapt App and will be removing it from the Apple and Android app stores globally on August 6, 2024,” the page says. “Don’t worry, your Adapt shoes will continue to work without the app. See below for more information on stopping the Adapt App.”
The FAQ states that if Adapt is already installed, it should “keep running” after uninstalling. You won’t be able to transfer it to a new device, and future iOS updates may limit or stop functionality.
Nike continues that if the app is deleted, the shoes will retain the last light color selected. Functions still available without it include power on, check battery status, adjust fit, save your fit, untie shoes, and power off.
Perhaps the biggest loss with the end of adaptation is accessibility, as shoes were marketed in part to make lacing easier for people with limited mobility. It also shows the danger of tying the functionality of physical technology to individual applications – once you lose software support, the product gets worse and there’s not much you can do about it.
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