Fitness bracelets and smart watches significantly increase motivation to exercise. With their help, you can track your results and share them on social networks. It is also a stylish addition to a sporty look. One such model is the Nike FuelBand. We will consider the main characteristics of the bracelet, functions and reviews below.
The Wearable Technology Revolution
In 2011, the era of wearable technology began. While Fitbit has already released its first fitness tracker, the idea that a watch or bracelet can be used as an activity tracker has yet to emerge.
But Nike had the perfect recipe for starting a technological revolution. In January 2012, Nike released the Nike Fuelband, which was available for pre-order in the United States. The company has recruited celebrities such as Serena Williams and LeBron James to create a viral marketing effect. The marketing move worked; as a result, the company sold out its entire stock of pre-ordered products twice a day.
Without knowing it, Nike pioneered one of the biggest revolutions in the world of technology. She presented the idea of introducing wearable technology in the most effective way. And now every fashionista or fashionista is ready to compete for a new model of wearable electronics device. It was a discovery that brought other technology companies into the market. If we go back to 2016, we can hardly imagine our lives without wearable technology. According to experts, the wearable technology market will grow to $14 billion in 2016, and by 2022 this figure will increase almost two and a half times. Today there are many models of fitness trackers, fitness bracelets and smart watches on the market. But only one name was erased from this market - Nike. Although sports companies like Adidas and Under Armor have a large share of wearable electronics, Nike decided to ride out the wave it was riding on. What happened to Nike and its push into wearable technology? There is only one remedy - to start from the beginning.
Design Features
The Fuel Band series bracelets have a stylish design. The soft straps are lightweight, so the device is not felt on your hand. Assembly parts are hidden under a rubberized cover. The typical smartwatch display is missing. The device displays information using dots that form the desired picture. A single key is used for control.
Link adjustment
The bracelet is equipped with an additional link that allows you to increase the length of the strap. To give the device the desired size, perform the following steps:
- Using the included tool, remove the lock and link.
- Separate the extension element from the retainer.
- Return the lock to its place.
A smaller link can be replaced with a larger part. If this is not enough, you can apply several elements.
NIKE + FUELBAND and the beginning of the revolution
When Nike+ FuelBand hit the market, it was like a bomb exploding. Fitness enthusiasts have finally found a way to quantify their efforts and track their progress towards their goals. It was the ultimate personalization of fitness.
- Review of the Nike+ FuelBand fitness bracelet
To motivate users, Nike used a point system. Users could use these scores to evaluate their performance and compare it with other users. Yes, this system has flaws, but users have not lost interest in Nike FuelBand. The most surprising thing is that the Nike FuelBand was a stunning success, despite the shortcomings of the first generation of devices. Nike's hardware and software development department saw an 18% increase in profits in 2012 thanks to FuelBand. But profits at Nike stores fell as people flocked to this new device to quantify their physical activity.
NIKE FUELBAND: the first generation of activity trackers
The first generation of trackers from Nike were purely for tracking fitness achievements, including yoga, running, cycling, weightlifting and more. However, it didn't support phone notifications, something that almost all fitness trackers now offer. It was very simple, its interface was also very simple. The bracelet had a single button to scroll to display various data: calories burned, Nike point system score, steps and current time. The closer you got to your goal, the faster the row of LEDs on the bracelet changed color: from red to green.
Here are a few features of the first generation Nike FuelBand:
• Water resistant - it withstood a walk in rainy weather or a short stay in the shower. However, it was not suitable for swimming in a pool. • Bluetooth connection, which is used to connect to your iPhone to sync data, is also supported. It also had a USB connector which was used to connect your phone and download data. • Plus it had a clear app, including motivational trophies, areas of activity over the past few days and weeks, and total points on a point system. All experts and athletes agree that the Nike FuelBand was a great motivator. It heavily used gamification techniques to get people to move more and increase their points. It was also quite easy to use, with a simple design and interface.
Not for serious athletes
The stumbling block for most was the accuracy of the device. For example, users had a lot of problems registering points. The fact is that the bracelet measured the efficiency and level of activity by the number of movements of the wrist. This means that while an hour of playing tennis might give you 1,000 points, cycling is unlikely to add as many points as you'd like. You might as well add 100 while sitting on the couch and drinking beer in front of the TV screen. In other words, the accuracy of this device was called into question. The same applied to the number of steps taken or calories burned. This device was definitely not suitable for serious athletes. It was really good at motivating people to stay in shape, but it didn't provide any meaningful metrics.
But again, this applied to first-generation devices. That is, these restrictions in general were not as serious as they might seem at first glance. Nike worked on the mistakes, and the following year an updated device appeared on the market.
Characteristics
- Sizes (circumference): Small (5.97 inches), Medium (6.77 inches), Large (7.76 inches)
Can be adapted for use with 0.32" or 0.63" inserts.
- Width: 0.63" LED, 0.75" Snap
- Thickness: 0.27" LED, 0.32" Snap
- Weight: 27g - 35g (top includes insert)
- Battery Type: 2 Lithium Polymer Batteries (3.7V)
- Battery life: up to 7 days
- Display type: 20 colors red/green VEL, 100 white VEL
- Display Modes:
- Time
- Energy burned (measured in Calories)
- Steps taken
- NikeFuel earned
- Materials: Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) 43%, Polypropylene (PP) 34%, Magnesium 14%, Stainless steel 9%
- Warranty: 1 year out of the box
- Waterproof: Yes
- Waterproof: No
- Symbiosis: Yes
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SECOND GENERATION ACTIVITY TRACKER: NIKE FUELBAND SE
Before we talk about the second generation of the Nike FuelBand, it's important to note that all along, only iOS phones have been compatible with Nike devices.
In the sense that it was perhaps one of the biggest mistakes: the company never decided to expand the number of compatible platforms with the release of the Nike FuelBand SE in late 2013. The second generation of trackers came with Bluetooth 4.0, different colors and styles, and improved battery life thanks to support for Bluetooth low energy technology. The device also included additional social features, such as Facebook account support. Unfortunately, these were all the additions that the manufacturer of the Nike FuelBand offered.
No significant improvements were observed
The company seems to be stuck on tracking activity without making any attempts to improve it. If anything, they made it even worse by adding sleep tracking. It must be said that this function was highly inaccurate and essentially useless.
It was 2013 that became a step back for Nike, if we compare the successes that the company achieved with the release of the first generation of FuelBand. Moreover, the wearable technology market was ready to offer many much better options to choose from. Fitbit, Jawbone, and even Adidas were offering more and more devices at the same price as the FuelBand SE, but with more advanced features. Most people believe that the set of functions of the Nike FuelBand SE does not justify the cost of the bracelet of 9.5 thousand rubles. Nike's second generation FuelBand devices had more restrictions compared to the first generation.
And the worst thing is that Nike did not think at all about serious athletes. For large sports companies, this oversight is a significant omission. In the growing wearable technology market, Nike did not use its brand recognition and resources to improve the product that brought the company into this market. The company was unable to push the boundaries and take off after its overwhelming success. And when dozens of your competitors take the lead, this means only one thing - fall.
Bracelet contents
The delivery set includes the following products:
- sports watches;
- USB cable with the manufacturer's logo;
- user manual;
- tool for adjusting the length of the bracelet.
The watch comes with: USB cable, instruction manual, and a tool for adjusting the length of the bracelet.
Abrupt change of strategy
In April 2014, Nike disbanded most of its wearables team, signaling the end of its pioneering efforts to create a killer fitness tracker. Shortly thereafter, the company announced that it was cutting production of the Nike FuelBand and would no longer be involved in the production of wearable electronics devices. It was a sad end for the company that launched the wearable technology market.
But the most annoying thing is that the company didn’t even try to create its best device. She just gave up... And this is despite the fact that Nike is a large company with the resources to attract the best talent and various specialists in the field of research and development. There was absolutely no reason that would prevent them from making a product that couldn't compete with Fitbit or Jawbone. Even if the first product was understandably scary to make, they had the opportunity to work on the mistakes. Instead, the company gave up.
New Hope
Nike has moved away from wearables in favor of developing smart software. Nike reasoned that there were plenty of fitness trackers on the market, and there was no point in going out of its way. Instead, the company was looking to partner with tech companies, especially Apple, to create smart software for athletes. Of course, cooperation with Apple was out of the question. When the Apple Watch hit the market in 2015, Nike was relegated to being a developer of third-party apps. But Nike decided to focus on its new direction. In 2015, an updated application for FuelBand for iOS was released, which is basically useless. The updated app can collect the same data as a regular smartphone.
The company also has a number of other fitness apps. One is dedicated solely to running monitoring, while the other tools provide comprehensive workout tracking. For now, the company is not talking about its plans for a triumphant return to the wearable technology market. At the same time, a number of sports giants, for example, Under Armor and Adidas, are closely involved in creating clothing items for fitness enthusiasts and athletes.
Is this really the end?
The big question now is, has Nike given up too early? Yes, the wearable tech market is oversaturated, but it's still young and things can change overnight. It's not like the iPhone, a brand that dominates the market, cutting off other market participants. There is a feeling that Nike can do something more. The company eventually became a pioneer in wearable technology. With a new product and an ingenious marketing move, the company not only managed to raise a huge wave, which to this day sweeps and covers users around the world, but also continues to maintain interest in its company, having gone into the shadows. This is despite the fact that it had the opportunity to improve its product and create something that could be called an industry standard. Instead, they seemed afraid to push the envelope. As a result, the company was crushed by competitors. If only Nike had put in a little more effort and innovation, it would have been at the forefront of a fast-growing industry long ago. Even if the second generation of Nike FuelBand was not the best, no one stopped the company from making a third attempt.
Of course, there's still room for improvement in software, but right now, all the attention is on wearable technology, and that will be the case for at least the next few years. The winner will ultimately be the company that can provide users with the best fitness tracker and well-designed software.
Internet community
FuelBand provides access to the Nike+ web community, which is powered by Nike+ Connect software. Software is a necessary component of activity tracking, as setting up personal stats through the software allows FuelBand to calculate the amount of energy burned as well as the number of NikeFuel points accumulated. The Nike+ web community allows product owners to create an online profile where they can showcase their personal statistics, such as how many goals have been achieved, how many steps have been taken and how many NikeFuel points have been accumulated. The profile also displays trophies and achievements a person has unlocked, and can be integrated with Facebook and Twitter to communicate with friends. After logging into the Nike+ website, users receive a graphical display of their daily activity, progress toward achieving their goal, positive feedback, and recommendations for next steps. The website also has an activity section that provides a graphical breakdown of a user's total activity by year, month, and day.[14]
