Nike is renowned for its prowess in making premium sportswear, but has also showed in more recent times that it is unafraid to delve into the world of technology. Close ties with Apple have certainly helped matters, and with the FuelBand SE – the company’s second-gen wrist-worn activity logger – having recently been introduced with a plethora of color options, this push shows no sign of slowing down. An interesting tidbit from the DigiTimes suggests the company could be taking things a step further, plotting a new smartwatch for release as soon as the first half of next year.
Citing Taiwanese sources from within the supply chain, DigiTimes suggest that Nike will launch a new smartwatch “in the first half of 2014,” and are currently under trial and testing. The DigiTimes is famously hit-and-miss with its inside information, so while there is an element of possibility that a new Nike smartwatch could well be on the cards, we’re not going to get too carried away until we see some tangible evidence.
The fact that the FuelBand has been so successful, despite actually offering very little over the array of cheaper apps available for smartphones and such, suggests Nike could well have a big say in the smartwatch market. Pebble is established, with both Sony and Samsung also now fighting to compete, and since Google and Apple are reported to be planning their own assault on this emerging market, things could get very interesting in 2014.
The FuelBand, at the current state of play, is very exercise-orientated, but one can envisage Nike making an effort to expand and improve its capabilities to maximize its potential. Combining style, solid functionality and high prices, it’s not too difficult to see how the relationship with Apple continues to blossom, although if the Cupertino company’s iWatch ever does materialize, it will be interesting to see whether their companionship will remain quite so rosy.
The FuelBand SE wasn’t much of a bump on the first-gen, so Nike might opt for a more substantial upgrade on that, or even decide to go for a completely new product line. Whatever the case, we’ll be keeping tabs on any further rumor regarding Nike’s alleged smartwatch endeavors, so make sure to stay tuned to our coverage here at Redmond Pie!
(Source: DigiTimes)
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.