Nike's self-lacing Adapt BB sneakers are losing their remote control mobile app

Despite the ongoing popularity of the Back to the Future trilogy, which inspired the self-lacing technology found in the HyperAdapt 1.0 and Air Mags, Nike has announced that it is "no longer making new versions of the Adapt shoes." Now, the Adapt BB mobile app used to control the $350 third edition of Nike's self-lacing sneakers will disappear from Google Play and the iPhone App Store next month.

Without the app, owners can use the physical buttons on the sneakers to turn them on and off, check battery status, tighten or loosen the laces, and save a single preset, but there will be no way to adjust the shoe's lighting.

The power laces on the Nike Adapt BB basketball shoes worn by athletes like Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic were adjustable via buttons on the sneakers or via Bluetooth. The app also allowed users to configure three tightness presets and adjust the color of the LED lights on the shoes — these features will continue to work for Adapt BB users who already have the app installed on their phones.

However, after August 6, Nike warns users that they "will not be able to move the app to a new device, and future iOS updates may limit or eliminate functionality, or remove the app from your device entirely."

Nike's decision to shut down the app is another reminder of the challenges of designing smart apparel. Most consumers may get used to the idea of upgrading smartphones every few years, but a pair of electronic shoes or a smart denim jacket can stay in someone's wardrobe for decades, even after a company stops selling the product.

It's not entirely surprising when a company stops paying for app maintenance and continued development for a product it's no longer making money from, but that doesn't make the pain of losing functionality from your five-year-old shoes any less painful.