Think Different, Just Do It: Exploring Nike and Apple’s Long History of Partnerships

This week, a new LeBron commercial turned heads across the sports and tech worlds. Not for how self-deprecating LeBron was in the spot showcasing his developing golf skills, though that was refreshing from the “Forever King,” but more for the product he was advertising. The brand new Nike Powerbeats Pro 2 headphones are technologically powerful, offering excellent noise cancellation and sweat protection while syncing with a whole host of apps like Nike Run Club. But the partnership they represent is even more powerful than their 45 hours of battery life.

These headphones are the first collaboration between Nike and Beats, which was founded by Dr. Dre and music executive Jimmy Iovine in 2006 before being acquired by Apple in 2014. That part is interesting because, while this is the first time Beats and Nike have worked on a project, Nike and Apple are quite familiar with each other.

Besides Apple’s Tim Cook being on Nike’s board of directors, a fervent supporter of CEO Elliot Hill, and a Travis Scott Jordan 1 Low model, these two companies go way back.

Nike+iPod

Back in 2006, the two titans of industry linked up for a revolutionary project unlike anything seen before, called Nike+iPod. The technology would connect a user’s Nike shoes with their Apple iPod to track speed, distance, and other data on-screen, as well as provide audible alerts and milestones while listening to music.

“We’re working with Nike to take music and sport to a new level,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the launch event. "The result is like having a personal coach or training partner motivating you every step of your workout."

Former Nike CEO Mark Parker shared the stage with Jobs to announce the partnership, adding, “Nike+iPod is a partnership between two iconic, global brands with a shared passion for creating meaningful consumer product experiences through design and innovation.”

The Nike Air Zoom Moire was the first sneaker equipped with the Apple-ready Nike+ tech, while the iPod Nano was the launch device on the Cupertino side. Nike embedded the Nike+iPod fob underneath the insole of the shoe, though they later offered a standalone fob kit you could purchase to affix to any shoe you wanted to wear. The fob would be paired up with your iPod through a dongle that plugged directly into the device and received data from your shoes wirelessly.

Nike Apple Watch

Apple and Nike’s next collaboration would come some years later, replacing the need for both a sneaker transmitter and iPod receiver in one fell swoop. The Nike edition of the Apple Watch had similar goals as Nike+iPod but took the execution way further, offering seamless tracking and data, plus safety features and a wide range of personalization options. Apple and Nike released upgraded versions of both the Apple Watch SE and Series 7.

Hindsight being 20/20, we probably should have seen this latest team-up between Nike and Apple coming, as Tim Cook doubled his already massive stake in Nike back in December, purchasing another 50,000 shares at a price of nearly $3 million.

Maybe instead of all this state-of-the-art tech, Nike can retro the infamous Apple sneakers for their next collab. It technically wouldn't be the first shoe they made together. Remember Tim Cook's 1-of-1 'Made on iPad' Air Max 1s?

Drew London

Drew oversees content at Sole Retriever and hates writing in the 3rd person soooo I'm going to stop. I've written for countless blogs and magazines, from Complex to XXL and everywhere in between. Spent a long time in LA, running content and working on branded collabs at The Hundreds. Now, I'm back home on the East Coast freezing my ass off. Email me at drew@soleretriever.com with scoops, story ideas, and size 13 heat.