So, is it just me or does Nike have some sort of announcement quota they are trying to hit? Whatever the case, they are definitely doing a good job sparking my interest. Just to bring you up to date since September 2011 (when they sent out their apology letter, which I attached below) Nike has updated the Nike+ app for iPhone to version 3.3, which introduced Facebook Timeline integration and route posting (12/21/2011), they announced the Nike+ Fuelband (01/19/2012), updated the entire Nike+ infrastructure (02/2012), announced their new material “Flyknit” (02/21/2012), and tonight (02/22/2012), they have announced some of the major changes coming in the “relaunch of Nike+ running”.
First off, I should address the letter Nike released in September of last year (since we weren’t around to report on it yet). The letter went over the issues that Nike+ was having and informed everyone that they, too, recognized the slowness and the overall difficulty of the site. Meagan and I both breathed a long sigh of relief when first receiving this email. Considering how much we both love our Nike+ accounts (as seen by Meagan’s in-depth review of both the GPS and regular iPhone app), it had become a chore to log on to the slow moving, Flash disaster that it is. The recent outbreak of announcements from Nike has finally provided us proof that they intend to live up to their promises in the aforementioned letter. Tonight’s announcement did not disappoint:
Nike+ Fuel – Apparently not just for the Nike+ Fuelband users. That is being touted as a “new metric that lets you compare your activity with anyone, whatever sport they play.”- New ways to share – I’m sure this will be better Facebook Timeline integration, better sharing on Twitter, and maybe some more in-app comparisons.
- Goals/Challenges – The announcement mentions “deeper insights to help you improve, including personalized suggestions on routes, training tips and goals based on your running activity.”
- NO MORE FLASH – I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am to hear that they are migrating to HTML5. That means not only will you be able to access it much faster on your PC or Mac but now you will be able to use the Nike+ website on your iPhone or iPad!
Below is the original Nike+ apology:
Dear Nike+ Member,
It’s been a tough couple months for Nike+. We know from the feedback that there have been a number of issues, including logging in, syncing devices, sharing runs and editing profiles. Not everyone has been affected, but if you have experienced any of those problems, I’m genuinely sorry. Running is supposed to be pure, simple and uncomplicated. And Nike+ is supposed to enhance it, not make it more complex.
Just like you, we hold ourselves to incredibly high standards, and right now Nike+ isn’t living up to them. There are lots of reasons why these problems began, but this letter isn’t about the excuses. This letter is about what we are doing to fix them and what’s coming next.
As of today we have increased login speed and eliminated a majority of login failures. We have improved your ability to sync devices, log runs and post information to Facebook. We are also working on a new version of the Nike+ GPS app that will be released shortly. It will introduce some great new features and address some of the recent bugs.
Things are better but we aren’t done yet. We’re working on a brand new platform for Nike+ that includes better coaching, maps and challenges. It will be much faster, more social, and easier to use, providing more information and analysis of your runs. Also in the works are some really exciting new products and services. We are committed to relentlessly improving and innovating to ensure that, just like you, Nike+ is never standing still.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you have any thoughts or questions please email us or go to our Facebook page and we’ll get back to you.
Thanks for your patience. We really appreciate you being a part of the Nike+ family. There are great things to come.
Jayme Martin
VP/GM NIKE Running
Steve is an Executive Recruiter at Robert Half Executive Search in Madison, WI with a business degree in Information Systems and E-Commerce from the University of Toledo. Steve loves spending his time away from work; running, gaming, watching movies, checking out new social networking tools/sites/start-ups and blogging.