Now even your sneakers are connected.
By Katrina Caruso
The activewear brand Under Armour launched two new styles of “smart” running shoes this past week at CES 2018, the big annual tech industry conference and consumer electronics expo. At last year’s CES, the company announced three pairs of similar shoes (the Velociti RE, Gemini 3 RE, and Europa RE), which are currently available for purchase.
Designed for runners who want to keep track of and analyze their runs, the new Hovr Phantom and Hovr Sonic sneakers feature technology built into their foam soles that includes bluetooth capabilities, along with an accelerometer and gyroscope. You’ll be able to run without your phone, as the shoes are able to sync with the MapMyRun app that tracks distance. Unlike a phone app, the shoes are also able to record additional stats such as cadence and stride length, which are helpful if you want to adjust the way you run, which is important in avoiding injury.
The shoes apparently won’t need to be charged—Under Armour claims that the batteries should last at least as long as the shoes—about 644 kilometres, or 400 miles—and the shoes will notify you when they’re ready to be replaced.
Considering their specs, the shoes are relatively affordable, especially comparison with many regular running shoes. The Phantoms and Sonics will retail for $140 USD and $110 USD respectively, with options at a slightly less expensive price-point if you want the shoes sans tech capabilities.
Photo: Under Armour.
