Smartwatches haven’t quite lived up to the hype or the idea that they would revolutionise the way we interact with technology.
For the most part, these wrist computers, are far too reliant on the smartphones they’re tethered to, to be of any real use. Having said that, while Android Wear has floundered, Apple has been dominating the wearable market thanks to the Apple Watch.
According to research company Canalys, in the fourth quarter of 2016, Apple shipped over 9 million smartwatches. The report states that the Apple Watch made the company more than US$2.6 billion in revenue for that quarter alone, which makes up nearly 80% of total smartwatch revenue.
Apple Watch series 2, the latest iteration of the Watch, is now available in South Africa and also has a special Nike+ version for those looking for a more fitness oriented wearable.
The Nike+ variant of the Watch has the same features as Watch Series 2:
- Built-in GPS and GLONASS
- Heart rate sensor
- Water resistant up to 50 meters
- Second-generation OLED Retina display with Force Touch : 272×340 pixels (38mm) | 312×390 pixels (42mm)
- Wi‑Fi (802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz)
- Heart rate sensor
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Ambient light sensor
- Sapphire crystal (stainless steel and ceramic cases)
Ion-X glass (aluminium cases) - Interchangeable watch straps
In terms of design, the Nike edition looks the same as the standard Apple Watch with the only exceptions being a more vibrant strap and the Nike swoosh engraved on the back of the watch as part of the lettering.
The key difference of the Nike+ is the integration with the Nike+ Run Club app, the breathable watch strap and the Nike watch faces to give the watch a more sporty feel as well as show personalised activity information and heart rate or give you quick access to the Nike Run Club app.
The Apple Watch Nike+ is geared towards runners specifically and has coaching plans and guidance from coaches and runners across the globe.
“We know runners — and we know many are looking for a device that gives them an easy, fun way to start running,” said Trevor Edwards, president of the Nike Brand. “The market is full of complex, hard-to-read devices that focus on your data. This focuses on your life. It’s a powerful device with a simple solution — your perfect running partner.”
The Nike Run Club app is preloaded on the device and is able to work with Siri commands. It also lets you track your runs – whether indoor or outdoor – and lets which measurement you’d like to track : speed, distance or time.
The default view on the Nike Run Club app displays only time and distance however there is an option on the start screen of the app to display all the metrics.
Since this is a fitness oriented wearable, you’d assume that the watch would be able to track all sorts of workouts. Well…it can, to a certain extent.
The Apple Watch Nike+ doesn’t have an altimeter which means that it isn’t able to track altitude, so you won’t be able to track your epic climbs up Table Mountain or any majestic hikes. There are third party apps which can show you elevation on your Watch but they’ll only work if you have your iPhone with you.
When it comes to strength training using weights, the Watch doesn’t measure or track things like reps or your movements, the best you’ll get is being able to see your heart rate while working out and then saving it as “Strength Training” once you’ve completed your session.
If you’re looking for a multi-sport mode, you’re going to be sadly disappointed because there isn’t one.
At the end of the day, the Apple Watch Nike+ is a rebranded Apple Watch. You can download Nike’s Run Club App to your current Apple Watch and get much of the same functionality.
Overall, the Apple Watch Nike+ gets a 6/10 rating.
Apple continues to make the best smartwatch in terms of ease of use, app support and near seamless integration between hardware and software.
