Breaking down the Nike Adapt BB

Nike bring continuous delivery to the humble shoe:

Nike has found its most advanced fit solution to date: Nike Adapt, a platform that creates a truly custom fit by combining an advanced power-lacing system, an app and continually updated firmware, featured in the new Nike Adapt BB basketball shoe.

We're no closer to hoverboards (at least 3 years late) but it looks like self lacing shoes are in sight.

An app-enabled approach seems odd to me though. The IoT approach is fun but these won't adjust without the phone in range? How does that help an athlete who will encounter two problems fairly quickly:

1. Phone is in the locker room
2. Nike themselves say that 'the foot can expand almost a half-size during play'

The Verge reviewed the Adapt BB and spoke to Tinker Hatfield, who came up with the self-lacing shoes from Back to the Future.