Rumor: Nike+ heart rate monitor coming June 1
According to a post by user "Clover" on the Nike+ support forums, Nike will be releasing a Nike+ heart rate monitor to the U.S. market on June 1, 2010. Canada will also see see a June launch date, while other international customers will see the device hitting shelves some time during the summer.
While the fifth generation iPod nano and Apple's own Nike+ iPod user guide makes reference to a Nike+ heart rate monitor, such a device has yet to surface.
Exact features, specifications, and pricing of the Nike+ heart rate monitor were not revealed. However, a good number of heart rate monitors out in the market today are priced in the $50 and higher ballpark, and many require you to use a strap across your chest in order to transmit your heart rate to an accompanying watch.
[via AppleInsider]
The report appears to be credible as Clover's post history indicates that he or she is likely a Nike employee in some capacity.
Updates to the Nike+ iPod kit have been sparse since its January 2006 release, and they've mostly come from the Apple side of the equation. Second generation and higher iPod touch models and the iPhone 3GS, for example, have built-in Nike+ receivers.
As a fitness fanboy, I'm excited about the prospects of a Nike+ heart rate monitor. While I love running, there are times when I can't, either because of weather, my schedule, or just because I want to change things up. A Nike+ iPod-compatible heart rate monitor should help liven things up.
