Facepalm: While 'real' hoverboards and flying cars are two Back to the Future technologies we're still waiting to see, self-lacing shoes have been around for a few years now. But owners of Nike's new Adapt BB smart sneakers have found them to be a little buggy.
As reported by CNET, Nike's shoes, which were released on Sunday, come with an app that lets users control their tightness. This function is also possible using the two buttons on the sides, but controlling the fit via an app is one of the sneakers' main features.
Days after their launch, Adapt BB needed a firmware update. And while this doesn't seem to have affected the iOS app, the update has caused some big problems on Android. According to user reviews, the app keeps failing to connect one shoe to another, and it has "bricked" the sneakers.
Some people have found that the issue can be resolved by performing a manual reset, which is a surprisingly arduous process. The shoes can still be used as regular sneakers, and the physical buttons continue to adjust the tightness, but paying $350 for some smart footwear that isn't particularly smart has incurred the ire of many buyers.
We've seen updates brick devices in the past. Back in October, Apple pulled the WatchOS 5.1 update after it bricked a number of its smartwatches, causing them to become stuck in endless boot loops.
Nike has responded to a comment on the Play Store with "We are aware of the issue and are actively working on a solution."
In an era when almost anything can be turned into a smart device, it seems new technologies can bring new problems.