Nike's Self-Lacing Shoes Are a Lesson in the Internet of Things

Nike's most-advanced kicks have been turning into bricks. Blame the Internet. Last month, Nike began selling shoes that lace themselves, much like Marty McFly's sneakers in "Back to the Future 2." The $350 (roughly Rs. 24,000) Adapt BB shoes wirelessly connect to a phone to tighten and loosen with an app. Then a dream from 1989 met the exhausting reality of 2019. Fresh out of the box, Nike's connected shoes recommended a software update - which broke some. More than an embarrassment, it exposed a truth that bears repeating about the future of all sorts of products: When something connects to the Internet, you're not really in control of it.