Nike and Apple have a longstanding relationship and now it appears that the two companies could pursue new wearable avenues together.
With the two giants having already launched and announced their own wearable products – including the Nike FuelBand SE and Apple Watch – Nike CEO Mark Parker has hinted that the two could join forces on future products.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Parker stated: “I’m actually quite bullish on our relationship with Apple. Tim Cook is on the Nike board and I’ve worked with Steve Jobs a long time ago.
“As I look ahead and what’s possible between Nike and Apple, technologically we can do things together that we couldn’t do independently.”
Singling out the wearables space as a key focus point, he added: “That’s part of our plan to expand the whole digital frontier in terms of wearables and go from tens of millions of users – right now there are 25 million Nike Plus users – to hundreds of millions
“I think [wearables] are going to be a big part of the future. I think what form it is going to take is the big question.”
Offering some exciting hints on what could lie in the future of the Nike, Apple partnership, Parker teased: “The form it takes is what’s critical. You can go from the very geeky wearables of today to, what I think you will see more of in the future, which is more stealth, integrated, more stylish and more functional products.”
Although placing no timeframe on the two firms’ joint plans, with the current boom period the wearables space is enjoying, we would image talks are quite advanced.
Further addressing Nike’s move into the tech space, Parker added: “We are first and foremost a sports brand but sports have moved into a lifestyle space.
“Health and fitness apps are the fastest growing app category out there; growing 85 per cent more than any other app. Nike is part and parcel of all of that and that’s clearly a part of our future.
“People getting more information in a simple, user friendly way and getting feedback in a way that lets them understand themselves better, is a way to improve.”
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