There's nothing like the feeling of putting on a pair of Nike self-lacing shoes you just spent $350 on and knowing they work. The app provides all the custom adjustments you need via Bluetooth and everything is great. That is, until Nike revealed that it would be removing the app from Google Play and Apple's App Store.

Nike details the discontinuation of the Adapt BB sneaker and its companion Adapt app on its support site. "After five years, we will retire the Adapt app and remove it from Apple and Android app stores worldwide on August 6, 2024.

"Don't worry, your Adapt shoes will continue to function without the app," the company continues. However, Nike says it "will no longer make new versions of Adapt shoes"

. The "smart" part, however, was the ability to connect to a cell phone via Bluetooth and control everything there. Thankfully, according to Nike's FAQ, that functionality will continue, at least in some form, as long as users have the app on their phones before August 6

. Users will continue to enjoy light changes, shoelace tightening, personalized fit settings, gesture detection, and smart commands," Nike explains.

There are some drawbacks, however. Nike states that users cannot move the functionality to a new phone, so if they upgrade or something happens to their existing phone, the Adapt app is gone.

Lighting, one of the core features of the shoe, will not function without the app. Nike states, "The shoe will keep the last light pack you selected. If you do not have the app installed, the lights will be the default color". Sneaker owners will need to be careful which light pattern they choose before changing models or deleting the app.

The support page includes a list of features that work without the app: power on, check battery status, adjust fit, save fit, unlace shoes, and power off.

While it is good that the shoe retains some of its core functions, the loss of phone connectivity is a major issue and paints a grim picture of the future of smart clothing. These shoes are expensive shoes, and much of the reason they are expensive shoes is about to be lost. This is bad news for current shoe buyers and those who might use this to avoid the next big thing in smart footwear and apparel.