The Social Utility

I loyally (or stupidly) upgraded to an iPhone 3GS last week. The appeal to me was the 32GB flash memory and built-in Nike+. I’ve never used Nike+ before, but I’ve always recognized it as a business idea that’s innovative on so many levels.

The alternatives to Nike+ are ugly looking, expensive devices that are produced for more serious runners. Nike has closed a gap in the market by providing the casual runner a utility that integrates into a device that’s as everyday as an iPhone or MP3 player. Information is delivered via a clean and intuitive UI that logs progress over time; put simply it is that basic functionality that runners need the most.

What I find the most interesting is how Nike+ has turned into a social utility: my friends and I can now share our running data and monitor each others progress through a web application. Twitter and Facebook integration have also been considered and this allows your running data to permeate throughout your social networks.

What’s next I wonder? Last.Fm or Spotify integration? My Mac already scrobbles my running music each time I dock my iPhone, it would be great to see a partnership with the one of the lead online music services.

From a sales perspective Nike+ is a cash cow and this is due to the product lock-in: I will forever be buying iPhones and Nike trainers because they now make my life easier and they both work well together. The utility has clearly increased demand for their line of running products and since the launch of Nike+, in mid 2006, demand for it and its associated products has overtaken generic interest in “nike running shoes”:

I’m on the hunt for more things like Nike+. Talk to me if you hear or see anything.