In 2019, Nike moved closer than ever to its dream of popularizing self-tie sneakers by launching the Adapt BB. Through Bluetooth, the sneakers are paired with the Adapt app that allows users to do things like tighten or loosen the shoe’s laces and control its LED lights. However, Nike has announcement that the app will be “retired” on August 6, at which point it will no longer be available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store; nor will it be updated.
In an ad recently spotted by The edgeNike briefly explained why it discontinued the app, saying that Nike was “no longer creating new versions of Adapt shoes.” The company began notifying owners of the app’s shutdown about four months ago.
Those who have already purchased the shoes will still be able to use the app after August 6, but it is likely that iOS or Android updates will render the app unusable. Additionally, those who purchase a new device will no longer be able to download Adapt after August 6.
Without the app, users can’t change the color of the sneaker’s LED lights. The lights will either retain the last color palette selected through the app or, according to Nike, “if you don’t have the app installed, the light will be the default color.” While owners will still be able to use the buttons on the shoe to turn the shoe on or off, check the battery, adjust the tightness of the laces, and save fit settings, the ability to change the lighting and control the shoes via mobile phone was a big selling point for the $350 shoe.
While the Adapt BB is Nike’s third and most widely released self-lacing sneaker to date, the sneakers seem doomed to see some of their most marketed features removed. Nike still maintains other mobile apps that tie directly into the shoes’ features, like its shopping app and its Run Club app for tracking runs.
Sneakerheads disappointed
Adapt BB owners expressed disappointment after hearing the news. One Reddit user who claimed to own multiple pairs of the shoes called the news is “super bullshit”, while another I described it as “extremely disappointing”.
A few hope Nike has announced that it will open source the app so that customers can retain the original, full functionality of their shoes. But Nike has not yet announced plans to do so. Ars Technica reached out to the company for comment but did not hear back before this press time.
A person named Maverick-1776 on Reddit wrote:
Taizan from Reddit said Companies like Nike should “offer alternatives or make their products publicly available when they do these kinds of things,” adding: “Sustainability also involves maintaining past products, digital or not.”
“I’m out. Fuck them.”
Some may not be surprised that Nike’s attempt to market the Back to the Future 2 has hit a wall. Nike, for example, also abandoned NikeConnect, its $200 NBA jersey app announced in 2017 that transformed the carriers into marketing gold.
Casual sneakerheads wouldn’t notice the Adapt BB’s flashy features, but the shoe had inherent flaws that could frustrate sneakerheads as well. It didn’t take long, for example, for a recommended software update to become available. break shoesincluding making them impossible to wear for anyone trying to tighten the laces. (At the time, Nike said the issue affected a small number of owners.) Nike’s technological inexperience played a role, as the company’s testing reportedly didn’t fully account for all the different phone models in use and their varying Bluetooth capabilities.
