Running Will Never Be the Same After Tomorrow
NEW YORK (12 July, 2006) - Nike and Apple® will officially bring together the worlds of sport and music with the retail launch of the Nike + iPod Sport Kit tomorrow. The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is the first product developed through the partnership that was announced by Nike and Apple in New York on May 26, 2006.
“This is the first result,” Nike President and CEO Mark Parker said of the new relationship at the May 23rd announcement, “and Nike + iPod will change the way people run. Nike + iPod creates a better running experience. We see many more such Nike+ innovations in the future.”
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit allows Nike+ ready footwear to communicate with the Apple iPod® nano through a sensor in the Nike+ footwear and a receiver plugged into the nano. The Nike + iPod Sport Kit allows the runner to receive audible updates on speed, distance and calories burned upon request throughout the run.
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit will be available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores, Apple Authorized Resellers as well as Nike.com (www.nike.com), Niketown, NikeWomen stores, www.nikeplus.com and select retail stores in the US.
In connection with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, Nike is introducing the Nike Air Zoom Moire+ and the Nike Air Zoom Plus+, the first of six styles of footwear that will be Nike+ ready by the end of July. Nike+ ready footwear is the only footwear that is compatible with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit and can be purchased at Nike.com (www.nike.com), Niketown, and select retail stores. The supporting website, www.nikeplus.com, will work seamlessly with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit an extensive training log, interaction with other runners and links to exclusive music and coaching tools.
Niketown locations in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles will host launch events to celebrate the Nike + iPod product being available at retail. The Nike + iPod Sport kit will be available for purchase first at Niketown New York tomorrow morning at a special event featuring Nike baseball players Mariano Rivera (New York), Chien-Ming Wang (New York) and AJ Pierzynski (Chicago), basketball player Ben Gordon (Chicago), retired basketball player Cynthia Cooper (Houston), Olympic speedskater Chad Hedrick and Olympic snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis.
Niketown Chicago will host an entire day of music in connection with the adjacent Apple store on North Michigan Avenue between Erie and Superior. The day will feature a lunchtime concert by Mae from 12:00pm – 1:00pm and performances by Chicago cover band Underwater People from 10:00am – 7:00pm.
Niketown Los Angeles will host a retail celebration hosted by local personality Carol Lewis and featuring Jeff Garcia from Power 106.
Pricing & Product Information
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit will retail for $29 (US) and all Nike+ enabled footwear will be available at retail for $80-$100 (US)
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit requires a Nike+ shoe and a iPod nano with Mac® with a USB 2.0 and
Mac OS® X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6.0.5; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and
Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.0.5.
NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) based near Beaverton, Oregon is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Bauer NIKE Hockey Inc., a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment; Cole Haan, which designs, markets, and distributes fine dress and casual shoes and accessories; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and Exeter Brands Group LLC, which designs and markets athletic footwear and apparel for the value retail channel.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.