Whoop angers users over reneged free upgrade promises
Whoop just announced its new Whoop 5.0 fitness tracker yesterday, but some existing users are already calling foul. Previously, Whoop said people who had been members for at least six months would get free upgrades to next-generation hardware. Now, the company says that members hoping to upgrade from a Whoop 4.0 to 5.0 will have […]
Whoop just announced its new Whoop 5.0 fitness tracker yesterday, but some existing users are already calling foul. Previously, Whoop said people who had been members for at least six months would get free upgrades to next-generation hardware. Now, the company says that members hoping to upgrade from a Whoop 4.0 to 5.0 will have to pay up.
Whoop is a bit different from other fitness trackers in that it runs entirely on a subscription membership model. Most wearable makers that have subscriptions will charge you for the hardware, and then customers have the option of subscribing to get extra data or features. A good example is the Oura Ring, where you buy the ring and then have the option of paying a monthly $6 subscription. Whoop, however, has until now said that you get the hardware for “free” while paying a heftier annual subscription.
Previously, Whoop promised users that whenever new hardware was released, existing members would be able to upgrade free of charge so long as they’d been a member for at least six months. However, that has since been scrubbed from Whoop’s site — though it was there as recently as March 28th this year, according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
On Whoop’s current official “How to upgrade” site, the company states that existing members have one of two options. They can either extend their membership by another 12 months and receive new Whoop 5.0 hardware “at no extra cost,” or if they’d rather not extend, they can pay a one-time upgrade fee of either $49 for the regular Whoop 5.0 or $79 for the Whoop 5.0 MG, which includes EKG sensors. An official Reddit thread also notes that people who either joined or extended their membership in the past 30 days are eligible for a free upgrade.
Understandably, Whoop fans are none too pleased. The r/Whoop subreddit is full of angry users who are accusing the company of misleading them.
“One of the main reasons I chose a Whoop over an Apple Watch was due to the free hardware upgrades,” writes one Redditor. “Conveniently my 12 month subscription is up around the same time the Apple Watch is released. The cost isn’t the issue, it’s them changing what was promised.”
“I’m definitely cancelling mine now, over the Whoop hype. Was excited to see they had a nice update and deflated after I saw they went back on their word about not charging for future hardware,” writes another.
The Verge reached out to Whoop for comment about why its changed its hardware upgrade policy, but didn’t immediately receive a response. We’ll update when we hear back.
It’s another example of how changes to subscriptions often results in customer backlash. Garmin recently angered its customer base by introducing a paid tier to the Garmin Connect app after years of touting its lack of a paywall. Oura also received hefty backlash when it introduced a subscription with its third-gen smart ring.
Dick’s Acquires Foot Locker For $2.4 Billion, Building Share In Sports And Sneaker Markets
Topline Dick’s Sporting Goods, the retail market share leader in sporting goods, will acquire Foot Locker, the world’s largest specialty footwear retailer, for $2.4 billion, nearly tripling total store count, expanding its global presence and further solidifying leadership in both the performance athletic sector and the broader sneaker and sportswear markets. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH […]
Dick’s Sporting Goods, the retail market share leader in sporting goods, will acquire Foot Locker, the world’s largest specialty footwear retailer, for $2.4 billion, nearly tripling total store count, expanding its global presence and further solidifying leadership in both the performance athletic sector and the broader sneaker and sportswear markets.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 11: Merchandise is offered for sale at a Dick’s Sporting Goods store on … More March 11, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Faced with tariffs and economic uncertainty, Dick’s is expecting 2025 profits to be lower than Wall Street had anticipated. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Dick’s will pay $24 per share for Foot Locker, approximately a 90% premium over its share price before the announcement, or shareholders can choose to receive 0.1168 share of Dick’s common stock for each Foot Locker owned.
In 2024, Dick’s reported $13 billion in revenues, having grown sales by 3.5% year-over-year, while Foot Locker’s revenue totaled $8 billion and declined by 1.9% at constant currency rates.
Dick’s exclusively operates in the U.S. market with 856 stores in a total addressable footwear, apparel and hardline market of $140 billion, while Foot Locker generates about 30% of revenues internationally and targets a $300 billion total addressable global market with a 2,400 retail footprint spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific markets.
The two retailers will continue to operate separately and Dick’s has no immediate plans to open Dick’s stores internationally.
The deal will be financed through a combination of cash and new debt, predicted to deliver between $100 million and $125 million in cost synergies and to close in the second half of 2025, pending regulatory and other approvals.
Key Background
Dick’s said it has been considering acquiring Foot Locker for some time. Dick’s has a strong track record of success with an emphasis on sporting goods and serving performance athletes. It operates 700 Dick’s big-box stores, as well as two highly experiential spinoffs, including 11 Dick’s Field House and 12 Dick’s House of Sports. It also operates about 100 Golf Galaxy stores and a handful of Going Going Gone! stores. Foot Locker, which specializes in “sneaker culture” and more broadly lifestyle-focused customers, has been struggling, most especially after Nike, Foot Locker’s number one brand, shifted its distribution model away from wholesale partnerships to DTC in 2017, a mistake that is currently being corrected under new Nike CEO Elliott Hill. Nike is also the top footwear brand at Dicks. Combined, Nike could represent as much as 30% to 35% of Dick’s and Foot Locker’s combined sales, reported Investopedia.
Crucial Quote
“Dick’s has been phenomenally successful over the past six years. It has consolidated its grip on the sporting goods market, adding an impressive 1.6 percentage points of market share to reach 11.1%. Foot Locker would add an immediate 4.3 percentage points of market share. And there is no doubt Dick’s could help accelerate the transformation of the business that current management has been pursuing – though there is still a lot to do on that front. Plus, there’s the increased buying power against the big sneaker brands, and some back-end synergies. Lot’s to like, some issues to iron out,” shared Neil Saunders, Managing Director, GlobalData Retail.
Nike To Benefit
Nike is expected to be a key beneficiary of the acquisition. “We view this as a positive for NKE, given DKS’ strong management and efficiency. NKE maintains strong ties with both retailers and leads footwear sales across both banners,” wrote Jefferies in a research note. It reported that footwear currently represents 38% of Dick’s business and over half of Foot Locker’s. Nike is the top-selling footwear brand for both. “A better-run FL under DKS leadership would be a net benefit for NKE, reinforcing its distribution strategy and solidifying its position in athletic retail,” it continued.
Chief Critics
In the acquisition conference call, UBS analyst Michael Lasser questioned the poor track record of retail mergers when a strong retailer acquires an underperforming one, like Foot Locker. Apparently, the company’s answer didn’t satisfy, as USB issued a note stating, “There’s a far longer list of retail mergers that were not successful than those that were. Simply put, its difficult to bring together disparate systems, cultures, models, infrastructure and teams. At least some of the benefits are often offset by dis-synergies from integration.” Jefferies analyst Jonathan Matuszewski is similarly cautious, “We see the potential for value creation from a DKS/FL tie-up. We don’t agree with all aspects of the playbook (running the businesses independently, not closing stores), but there are opportunities (improved merchandising, apparel, owned brands). What’s hard to see is the journey ahead as a ‘slam dunk.’”
Tangent
The Dick’s-Foot Locker announcement follows the agreement two weeks ago for 3G Capital to acquire the Skechers sneaker brand for $9.4 billion and take it private. In 2024, Skechers generated $9 billion in revenues, divided about 60%/40% between wholesale and direct-to-consumer. Sketchers operates over 5,000 branded stores, including just over 1,000 internationally. Both Dick’s and Foot Locker sell Skechers footwear.
Further Reading
Dick’s Sporting Goods to Buy Foot Locker for $2.4 Billion (Wall Street Journal, 5/15/2025)
Dick’s Sporting Goods To Buy Struggling Shoe Chain Foot Locker For $2.4B (ABC News, 5/15/2025)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Shares Tumble As Analysts Question Foot Locker Deal, Note Past Failed Retail Mergers (Marketwatch, 5/15/2025)
ForbesNike Decides To ‘Just Do It’ And Replaces CEO John Donahoe With Company Veteran Elliott HillBy Pamela N. Danziger
The Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro looks like an Apple Watch Ultra, but it’s way cheaper and packs a week-long battery life
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro: One minute review The Huawei Watch Fit 4 and Watch Fit 4 Pro are very similar at their core. […]
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro: One minute review
The Huawei Watch Fit 4 and Watch Fit 4 Pro are very similar at their core. The standard Watch Fit 4 strongly resembles an Apple Watch, while the Pro model leans more into Apple Watch Ultra territory. Once you get past the familiar styling, though, both wearables are feature-packed fitness trackers disguised as the best smartwatches, and they represent excellent value.
Each offers up to seven days of battery life with typical use and up to 10 days with lighter use, though we never quite reached that upper limit in testing. The Watch Fit 4 is lighter and more understated in design, yet still brings upgraded durability and new watersports modes. Meanwhile, the Pro version takes it further with a titanium and sapphire glass body, along with an aluminum chassis.
ZetrOZ Systems is highlighting its FDA-cleared sam® wearable ultrasound device at two major sports medicine conferences. The product targets NBA and collegiate athletic trainers seeking advanced solutions for soft tissue injuries prevalent in basketball. The technology behind ZetrOZ’s sam® wearable ultrasound device has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in accelerating recovery from common basketball-related injuries such as […]
ZetrOZ Systems is highlighting its FDA-cleared sam® wearable ultrasound device at two major sports medicine conferences. The product targets NBA and collegiate athletic trainers seeking advanced solutions for soft tissue injuries prevalent in basketball.
The technology behind ZetrOZ’s sam® wearable ultrasound device has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in accelerating recovery from common basketball-related injuries such as hamstring strains, ankle sprains, and patellar tendinopathy through non-invasive, drug-free treatment. With over 30 clinical studies supporting its efficacy, the sam® device works by enhancing blood flow and oxygenation to injured areas while removing cellular waste. This works to promote faster healing.
The wearable ultrasound device’s portability and FDA clearance for home use make it a practical option for both professional and amateur athletes looking to minimize downtime without relying on pain medications or invasive procedures.
CBS Sports Adds Innovative AR to Massive PGA Championship Coverage
(Editor’s note: CBS Sports coverage of the PGA Championship began May 15 and wraps up May 18. Interviews for this story were conducted on-site May 14.) CHARLOTTE, N.C.—To fans and golfers at the 14th hole here at Quail Hollow, nothing appears to be out of the ordinary for one of the four majors. Not so […]
(Editor’s note: CBS Sports coverage of the PGA Championship began May 15 and wraps up May 18. Interviews for this story were conducted on-site May 14.)
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—To fans and golfers at the 14th hole here at Quail Hollow, nothing appears to be out of the ordinary for one of the four majors.
Manchester City meets Crystal Palace on Saturday in this year’s FA Cup Final One of the biggest days in English sports, the FA Final, takes place this weekend with perennial powerhouse Manchester City taking on Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday. In anticipation of the match, take a look back at how […]
Manchester City meets Crystal Palace on Saturday in this year’s FA Cup Final
One of the biggest days in English sports, the FA Final, takes place this weekend with perennial powerhouse Manchester City taking on Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday.
In anticipation of the match, take a look back at how the BBC transformed its FA Cup Final coverage a year ago using cutting-edge technology from Ross Video. BBC Sport’s Design Director John Murphy is joined by Ross Video’s Senior Business Development Manager, Sport and Live Events James Ransome to explore the impact of Spidercam, Voyager graphics for immersive visuals, PIERO for analysis and the Rocket Surgery team’s expertise in design, workflow, and data integration.
Watch Now on SVG PLAY:
This conversation was hosted at SVG Europe’s The Football Summit on March 20, 2025 at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and is moderated by Charlie Fox, Marketing Manager EMEA at Ross Video.
SVG PLAY is your home for all Sports Video Group live-event and long-form video content. SVG members and sponsors have simple access to all SVG event panels, case studies, keynotes, and more — all in one place. To visit SVG PLAY, CLICK HERE.
Trump’s Mideast visit opens floodgate of AI deals led by Nvidia – The Mercury News
By Michael Shepard, Mackenzie Hawkins and Ian King, Bloomberg The Trump administration is clearing a path for two key Persian Gulf allies to pursue their artificial intelligence ambitions — and some of the biggest US tech companies are seizing on that opening with plans to spend billions of dollars in the region. Under agreements with […]
By Michael Shepard, Mackenzie Hawkins and Ian King, Bloomberg
The Trump administration is clearing a path for two key Persian Gulf allies to pursue their artificial intelligence ambitions — and some of the biggest US tech companies are seizing on that opening with plans to spend billions of dollars in the region.
