Nike and Apple working on ‘stylish’ new wearable technology

Apple and Nike are working on new item of wearable technology that will have greater integration into existing gadgets, and is less obvious and more “stealth”, according to the Nike chief executive, Mark Parker.

Nike has long been making wearable technology, originally partnering with Apple for its Nike+ running sensor range in 2006, which connected wirelessly to the iPod.

Nike discontinued its FuelBand fitness-tracking bracelet in April, shutting down the team that made it, which saw two of its key engineers move to Apple to work on the Apple Watch. But Parker is still bullish on wearable technology as a key part of Nike’s future.

‘The form it takes is critical’

“I think it’s going to be a big part of the future, absolutely,” said Parker in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “I think the form it takes is critical. You can go from the very geeky kind of wearables today – we’ve all seen some of those – to what I think you’ll see in the future, things that are more stealth, more integrated, more stylish and more functional, yes.”

Parker reiterated that Nike had worked at length with Apple in the past, with Parker personally working with Apple founder Steve Jobs, and that having Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, on the board of Nike was a big advantage.

“Technologically we can do things together that we couldn’t do independently,” Parker said. “So yeah, that’s part of our plan, to expand the whole digital frontier in terms of wearables, and go from what we say is tens of millions of users – right now there’s 25 million Nike+ users – to hundreds of millions.”

Nike’s decision to cut its dedicated 70-person FuelBand team did not come as a complete surprise, but it happened only months after the release of its second-generation fitness band. The company said it was to refocus on its existing fitness gadgets in shoes and apparel, while pushing its Nike+ software and services.

What form of new wearable technology from the Nike and Apple partnership will take is unknown. Nike is likely to have a Nike+ app for the Apple Watch and one that integrates with Apple’s new Health application, but Parker’s comments indicate something beyond a simple smartwatch app.

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