Nike is planning on launching a pair of expensive basketball shoes that can lace themselves.
Originally announced last year, the sneakers will be a lot more affordable than the company’s HyperAdapt self-fitting shoes from a few years ago. Instead of the $720 Nike charged for the HyperAdapts, the new shoes will instead be priced at a still steep $350.
Another difference: You’re expected to be able to adjust the phone’s power laces using your smartphone.
The athletic apparel giant hasn’t officially shown the shoes off publicly yet but teased them in a 37-second video of pro basketball stars including Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Breanna Stewart, Luka Doncic and De’Aaron Fox trying the high-tech kicks on for the first time.
https://twitter.com/Nike/status/1084827493914238977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1084827493914238977&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.engadget.com%2F2019%2F01%2F14%2Fnike-self-lacing-basketball-shoes-smartphone-app%2F
Nike’s AirMag sneakers from 2016 were expensive and only made in exceptionally limited quantities. Modeled after the shoes worn by Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future, the shoes not only laced themselves, they also had light-up soles.
Post-launch, some of those sneakers sold for thousands of dollars on eBay. At the time Nike said that the shoes were selling “extremely well.”
Nike is expected to officially unveil its new self-tying sneakers at 8 a.m. ET Tuesday.