Interestingly, the first product of this fancy new division won't be a simple fitness tracker, but rather a full-blown Android Wear smartwatch. The first product that New Balance will be launching for Digital Sport will be a smartwatch towards the end of 2016.

New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host.

The timepiece, according to New Balance chief executive Rob DeMartini, will allow runners to "focus on their training so they can constantly improve performance". Through an announcement at CES, New Balance states that it is opening up the New Balance Digital Sport division "dedicated exclusively to connecting consumers with the technology they desire to improve their athletic performance".

The first product from the division will be an Android Wear-based smartwatch which will track runners through Global Positioning System and offer them the ability to listen to music without the need for a smartphone. The company plans to roll out a digital ecosystem targeted at athletes via the new division, and has announced Intel, Google and more as partners.

Few other details are given, but New Balance points out that it is designed by runners, for runners, a message that should resonate with those looking for a pure sportswatch experience, rather than a device that aims to do everything. The watch will be ready for the 2016 holiday season. It will be called New Balance Run Club, and will use Strava's underlying platform to connect athletes who can have a look at each other's accomplishments and even share their favourite running courses. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the United States of America, which represents a limited portion of our U.S. sales.