Apple Watch: Nike+ Edition Goes On Sale

The Apple Watch’s Nike+ Edition went on sale Friday (October 28) and marks a doubling down — according to one news source — on smartwatches by the world’s foremost smartphone manufacturer.

The new Apple Watch Nike+ Edition is pegged at a starting price of $369, according to Arabian Business.

According to the Associated Press, the new Apple Watch Nike+ Edition is equipped with a GPS component, which could be important for runners as they train and prepare for races.

“The original watch does a fine job of latching onto your phone’s GPS if you’re running with the phone, but with built-in GPS, you can leave the phone behind,” the Associated Press noted.

“Accuracy is on par with other good GPS watches, which is to say, measurements are sometimes off, especially when tall buildings block GPS signals. The watch automatically calibrates to my running style, so it’s better than non-GPS devices even when there’s no GPS.

“Though GPS drains the battery more quickly, the watch still had about an hour of non-GPS use left after a marathon run of about four hours, 40 minutes. For normal use, Apple says you should get up to 90 minutes a day of GPS workouts; I’ve often gone longer without the watch dying before bedtime. It helps that I’ve disabled the heart-rate sensor during workouts.”

The Associated Press also notes of the new Apple Watch Nike+ Edition that cyclists can make use of similar GPS functionality as runners and walkers.

Among the changes and GPS is the biggest, the AP‘s technology writer still wanted the ability to move data between apps and devices, something that is extremely limited at the present time. So while she liked the device and its improvements, she noted that she will still likely stick with her preferred device, at least for now.

“The ability to move data around is limited. While Nike offers an Apple Watch app, it’ll take time for others to catch up. Strava’s still requires running with a phone, while Garmin doesn’t have one at all,” she wrote.

While smartwatches were all the rage just a few short years ago, the fad has quickly diminished among the consumer population, with CNNMoney reporting a 52 percent decline in smartwatch sales in the third quarter of 2016. That includes more than just Apple — it includes manufacturers such as Samsung and Garmin, as well.

“Apple sold just 1.1 million of its Apple Watches in the quarter, compared with 3.9 million a year earlier — a 72 percent decline,” CNNMoney reported the same week the Apple Watch Nike+ Edition was released.

So why the drastic drop in sales? CNNMoney speculates that certain features are still not available on smartwatches, like answering emails from the device. Still others may not want to replace the device every few years when a newer model hits the market, it said. And yet another reason is other companies appear to be keeping pace with Apple, Samsung, and others by releasing so-called “hybrid” devices. CNNMoney lists luxury brands such as Kate Spade getting into this marketplace.

“Analysts think the hybrids could fare better because people may be more inclined to buy if they like how the watch looks and get a few tech perks, like the ability to count steps, as a bonus,” CNNMoney reports.

Even so, the features of an Apple Watch Nike+ Edition, or any other Apple Watch edition, are impressive considering these types of devices were just concepts a decade ago. For individuals who are fitness enthusiasts, such as the AP technology reporter, the ability to map your run, track your speed, and other features not before available without having your smartphone strapped to your arm could be appealing.

Will you be purchasing the new Apple Watch Nike+ Edition? Tell us in the comments section.

[Featured Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]