Last week's announcement of a Nike shoe with Apple's iPod is being hailed as a marketing coup that could have huge implications for
technology in sports. The announcement has been largely welcomed and no doubt would serve as a boost to two of the biggest brands in the market today.
Nike Chief Executive Mark Parker said that the partnership with Apple was natural, “We both had a mutual interest in pursuing (an) opportunity in this area. Not for Nike to get into the
mp3 market per se, but for Nike to establish an opportunity with somebody who is really leading in that area.”
The Nike+iPod Sport Kit will cost $29 and has a pebble-size sensor that will be a part of the Nike Air Zoom Moire running shoes, which cost $100. The other part of the kit is a receiver that plugs into an iPod Nano.
This sensor will monitor all activity when the runner is on the road and will measure the speed, distance run; calories burned and will transmit this information to the receiver.
The user will be able to hear a voice that will recount the achievement so far. These details can also be downloaded from the Nike
website where a daily logbook can also be maintained. All this is possible even when the user is listening to his/her favorite song on the iPod.
Apple chief Steve Jobs said that this was just the beginning. The voice, which alerts the user can be modified, As Jobs said, "I'd want Julia Roberts to tell me I'm running well." This new kit will hit Nike and Apple stores in the next two months.
