22 Apr 2014
Nike boosts wearable tech software expansion with R&D lab
BY Jak Phillips
Sportswear giant Nike has signalled its ambitions to dominate the wearable tech and fitness app market with the opening of a research and development lab in San Francisco, California.
The Nike+ Fuel Lab launched earlier this month marks the latest development in the company’s quest to make its NikeFuel measurement system – whereby users earn NikeFuel points for their levels of activity – the universal standard for activity tracking across platforms.
Nike’s range of fitness apps fall under the Nike+ network – which is currently used by 28 million people worldwide – and the company hopes to build on partnerships it has established with popular third-party options including weight loss app MyFitnessPal, running companion RunKeeper, and running and cycling app Strava to take this figure past the 100 million mark.
The company says it is cumbersome to try and compare fitness performances across myriad measurement systems with NikeFuel as its solution. At the San Francisco lab, which also features a fitness centre for testing and tweaking new apps, third party fitness companies can work alongside Nike to integrate NikeFuel into their existing products.
“We are excited about evolving NikeFuel to deliver richer experiences that make it easier for all athletes to reach their potential,” said Stefan Olander, Nike’s vice president of digital sport.
“The demand for simpler data-powered experiences is soaring, and all-day sensing is more available on mobile and wearable devices than ever before. Nike is committed to broadening the use of NikeFuel through collaborations with industry leaders to create smarter products and services.”
The company has a long history of collaborating with Apple – with apps created for iOS including Nike+ FuelBand, Nike+ Training Club and Nike+ Move, which launched in Fall 2013 – and rumours are swirling that the two might continue their partnership on Apple’s forthcoming wearable tech device, which is expected to focus heavily on fitness.
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