Adidas to kill off its smartwatch line-up
Many companies are walking away from the smartwatch segment of the market. The list of companies includes Nike and Microsoft. It appears like Adidas is going to join the club. According to Digital Trends, Adidas is considering focusing on its software products rather than fitness-focused hardware. They apparently want to pay attention to the company’s proprietary Adidas app, which was created by Runtastic.
Image Source: Pocket-Lint
Not many consumers might be aware that Adidas is exploring the fitness tracking segment of the market. This is precisely why the firm has decided to shut that product line-up down altogether. They found it increasingly trying to establish a link in this segment, given the highly competitive market that prevails today. This move from the side of Adidas does not come across as a surprise. Stacey Burr, VP of wearable sports at Adidas had suggested sometime last year that the followers won’t see a new running watch from Adidas for a while at least.
Adidas created miCoach Smart Run, which the company described as being a ‘fitness smartwatch.’ The firm had launched the smartwatch sometime in 2013. They followed the launch up with miCoach Fit Smart tracker in 2014. Several rumors suggested that Adidas is planning on starting the Chameleon fitness tracker this year or in early 2018. Whether that ends up turning out to be true or not, is something only time will tell. Considering that Adidas plans on giving the smartwatch market rest, it doesn’t seem like the fitness trackers will be introduced in the market anytime soon.
In a recent statement, Adidas said that the company was “redefining its approach toward digital, sharpening our focus on digital experiences.” The company further confirmed that it would “consolidate the Adidas app eco-system, focusing our efforts on two powerful brand platforms: Runtastic and the Adidas app. We are integrating digital across all areas of our business and will continue to grow our digital expertise in a more integrated way.”
