Nike's app-assisted self-lacing sneakers bricked after first update

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With its self-tying Adapt BB, Nike promised to free wearers from manually lacing up their sneakers and remotely control their fit through a mobile app. But the smart shoes hit a speed bump this week after some were bricked following the first firmware update.

The company touted the Adapt BB, unveiled in January and on sale since Sunday, as a "revolutionary basketball shoe" that will put an end to over 5,000 years of tying shoelaces.

"Shoelaces: you had a good run. But we think we may have finally bettered you," flaunted Nike's VP of Innovation Michael Donaghu in a post last month on the same day the sportswear company launched its high-tech model.

The Adapt BB allows its wearer to adjust the tension of the laces at the touch of a button – either via app or on the sides of the sneakers – to personalize their fit according to their activity status.

There are no visible strips to tighten, loosen or come undone. Instead, an embedded power-lacing system keeps one's foot snug.

The footwear features a firmware, which the company said will be continually updated through an app. The Nike Adapt app enables the owner of the trainer to input different tightness profiles depending on their movement – or the lack of it.

"It remembers, via a paired app, how tight or loose you prefer your footwear — not just one setting, but in different situations like warm-ups, gameplay and while resting on the bench," said Donaghu.

The app also helps keep track of the battery life of the kicks (they come with a magnetic charging mat), and control the color of lights on the midsole.

But the first firmware update of the Adapt BB ran into trouble, after Android users complained that their new trainers are unable to sync with the app, which renders the main feature of their new 350-U.S.-dollar purchases pointless.

Dissatisfied customers took to Google Play Store to vent their anger, slamming the footwear with one-star ratings.

CGTN screenshot of angry comments by owners of the Nike Adapt BB on Google Play Store following the faulty update.

"This app bricked my left shoe right out of the box. It's not connecting or turning on. But my right shoe works just fine. I'm starting to think this is a waste of money," complained one Android user on Friday.

"I'm pretty tired of companies not taking a proper amount of time to QA a product. It makes it worse when the company shows a clear bias against one mobile platform or another. I'm done buying Nike products," wrote another user on Thursday.

The faulty update does not seem to affect the iOS version.

"We are seeing isolated connectivity issues related to the setup of the Nike Adapt BB and are actively working to resolve it," U.S. tech website CNET quoted a Nike spokesperson as saying on Thursday.

"If a consumer experiences this, we encourage them to contact Nike Consumer Services."

It has not been a good week for Nike. On Wednesday, Duke forward Zion Williamson sustained a knee injury some 30 seconds into a match against the University of North Carolina after his Nike PG 2.5 ripped open as he dove for the ball. The incident caused Nike's shares to dip nearly two percent on Thursday.

(Cover image: Golden State Warriors Center Jordan Bell wears the new Nike Adapt BB shoes before an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, January 18, 2019. /VCG Photo)