Apple removes Nike FuelBand, Jawbone UP from stores ahead of Apple Watch debut
Apple has phased out fitness bands like Nike's FuelBand and Jawbone's UP from its retail store offerings as the company prepares to enter the wearables market with Apple Watch.
Jawbone product availability on the Online Apple Store.
As of Wednesday, the Online Apple Store and physical Apple Store locations have pared down their fitness device offerings to products not in competition with the upcoming Apple Watch. Previously, Apple sold a wide variety of fitness trackers, including devices from Fitbit, Nike, Jawbone, Wahoo and more, but those products have lost shelf space over the past year.
The move comes a little over one month before Apple's first foray into wearables debuts with its own fitness tracking capabilities. Re/code reported the change earlier today.
AppleInsider confirmed that both Nike and Jawbone products have been taken down from the Online Apple Store and are no longer available at multiple brick-and-mortar Apple Store locations across the U.S. A store representative said no band-like fitness devices are for sale, with the closest model being Jawbone's clip-on UP Move, though Apple's online storefront does show current availability of the $199 MIO Alpha Heart Rate Monitor Watch.
Other fitness trackers still for sale include Wahoo's TICKR around-the-body heart rate monitor and a similar offering from Polar.
According to Re/code, MIO CEO Liz Dickinson said Apple notified her of an impending Apple Store removal months ago. It is unclear if the smart fitness watch will ultimately share the same fate as similar devices from Jawbone, Nike and Fitbit.
Apple Watch starts at $349 for the 38mm Apple Watch Sport, while the stainless steel Apple Watch is priced from $549. The high-end solid gold Apple Edition, meanwhile, starts at $10,000.
Preorders and in-store previews start on April 10, with shipments set to begin on April 24.
Jawbone product availability on the Online Apple Store.
As of Wednesday, the Online Apple Store and physical Apple Store locations have pared down their fitness device offerings to products not in competition with the upcoming Apple Watch. Previously, Apple sold a wide variety of fitness trackers, including devices from Fitbit, Nike, Jawbone, Wahoo and more, but those products have lost shelf space over the past year.
The move comes a little over one month before Apple's first foray into wearables debuts with its own fitness tracking capabilities. Re/code reported the change earlier today.
AppleInsider confirmed that both Nike and Jawbone products have been taken down from the Online Apple Store and are no longer available at multiple brick-and-mortar Apple Store locations across the U.S. A store representative said no band-like fitness devices are for sale, with the closest model being Jawbone's clip-on UP Move, though Apple's online storefront does show current availability of the $199 MIO Alpha Heart Rate Monitor Watch.
Other fitness trackers still for sale include Wahoo's TICKR around-the-body heart rate monitor and a similar offering from Polar.
According to Re/code, MIO CEO Liz Dickinson said Apple notified her of an impending Apple Store removal months ago. It is unclear if the smart fitness watch will ultimately share the same fate as similar devices from Jawbone, Nike and Fitbit.
Apple Watch starts at $349 for the 38mm Apple Watch Sport, while the stainless steel Apple Watch is priced from $549. The high-end solid gold Apple Edition, meanwhile, starts at $10,000.
Preorders and in-store previews start on April 10, with shipments set to begin on April 24.
Comments
Because the $50 & $130 items will stop people from spending $350 for an Apple Watch?
Because the $50 & $130 items will stop people from spending $350 for an Apple Watch?
Funnily enough, I have a JawboneUP, and it made me want an ?Watch even more, simply because the UP doesn't tell time.
Because the $50 & $130 items will stop people from spending $350 for an Apple Watch?
You're right, Apple should also sell $300 PC notebooks and $50 tablets in it's store, I mean, those won't stop people from paying $1500 for a Macbook and $500 for an iPad, right?
Apple has the right to sell or not sell whatever it wants in it's stores. I would do the same thing in their shoes, why sell stuff that potentially competes with your offering, even if cheaper? Just creates more noise for the consumer. These things can be sold in a million other places.
Generally, the only non-Apple things sold in Apple Stores are items people want/need when purchasing an Apple product. That's why they sell external drives, non-Apple software, and specialized hardware people can take home with them right away. As others have said, the Apple Store isn't a Best Buy or Target, they get to choose which extra items they feel would be useful (and don't compete with Apple products).
I look at it this way: the fad/trend devices are being removed, the serious devices are being kept.
I use a chest strap HRM for HIIT (the wahoo is pretty decent). Despite my large interest in fitness and daily activities, I perceive the nike fuel/jawbone up as gimmicky devices that complicate something that's simple.
How this contrasts to the apple watch is that they've taken our most recent understanding of prolonged sitting and sedentary behaviour and simplified this into a basic reminder and progress graphic. Which is all it needed to be, the other offerings require pairing data, online log-ins and produce utterly useless graphs with convoluted coaching goals. I don't see this as apple removing competition, rather just throwing out the unpopular junk.
For the kind of exercise I do, I find the apple watch's HRM ability paired with the ability to play music wirelessly to my headphones a very appealing combination. If I can also do payments without my phone that would be perfect. (However this remains an unknown.)
they get to choose which extra items they feel would be useful (and don't compete with Apple products).
They do sell third-party cases, cables, mice and keyboards, and phone chargers that directly compete against Apple branded ones.
Nike was said to be quitting the wearables business, so the loss of the FuelBand probably would have happened anyway.
Generally, the only non-Apple things sold in Apple Stores are items people want/need when purchasing an Apple product. That's why they sell external drives, non-Apple software, and specialized hardware people can take home with them right away. As others have said, the Apple Store isn't a Best Buy or Target, they get to choose which extra items they feel would be useful (and don't compete with Apple products).
Bullshit.
Do Apple sell headphones in their stores? Yes.
Do they sell a ton of headphones in their stores by other companies, which compete with their own offerings? Yes.
All this removal of fitness devices says is that Apple are so fearful of renewed interest in fitness devices, that they don't want to offer comparisons to the Apple Watch, lacking so is their confidence in it.
Bullshit.
Do Apple sell headphones in their stores? Yes.
Do they sell a ton of headphones in their stores by other companies, which compete with their own offerings? Yes.
All this removal of fitness devices says is that Apple are so fearful of renewed interest in fitness devices, that they don't want to offer comparisons to the Apple Watch, lacking so is their confidence in it.
You're right, nobody will know ANYTHNG other than the Apple Watch exists, as long as Apple does not sell these products in their own stores, right?
Your headphone analogy is brain-dead, as Apple's headphones are not a core product- they don't go out of their way to market them, and they come free with iPhones. They're more accessories to their main products, than products themselves- which is why they bought Beats. Apple is not going to lose any fucking sleep if someone buys non-Apple headphones.
Your purposeful intellectual dishonesty is simply disgustingly vile, as is the predictability and consistency of your nasty lies. The petty lengths you've gone to assert that Apple "lacks confidence" in Apple Watch, by reaching at ghosts, is simply stunning. You can't seem to decide if Apple lacks confidence because they're marketing the Watch too much, or because they're someone trying to make the world forget that it exists. You've made both arguments at the same time, which shows the deep extent of your hypocrisy and contradictory desperation. The fact that you (allegedly) think Apple is "fearful" of these devices that don't have a fraction of the functionality of the Apple Watch shows how ridiculous and petty you are. If you weren't such an angry, petty person, you would decide not to buy an Apple Watch, and move on. But no, you'd rather spend your life trolling. And in all of your THOUSANDS of posts bashing the Apple watch, you have never ONCE presented a vision of what it should be instead, because you have none. A 3 yr old can do what you do- bash without providing an alternative, the most lazy and cowardly thing possible.
Bullshit.
Do Apple sell headphones in their stores? Yes.
Do they sell a ton of headphones in their stores by other companies, which compete with their own offerings? Yes.
All this removal of fitness devices says is that Apple are so fearful of renewed interest in fitness devices, that they don't want to offer comparisons to the Apple Watch, lacking so is their confidence in it.
Stinking speculative bullshit !
You haven't any idea, nor proof, as to what Apple's motivations are here. Fitbit was removed from the online store months ago. Most likely, these changes are nothing more than supplier negotiation tactics familiar to any retail outlet.
Of course Apple has the right to merchandise their stores in any way they choose, on-line or physical.
But I also think it sends a poor message to remove devices - especially from erstwhile 'semi-partners',
and especially when they aren't remotely competitive.
It almost suggests a legitimacy they otherwise couldn't have.
And I think Apple may 'sort of' think so too, by removing them so far in advance of
the appearance of the ?Watch, amidst the hubbub of their own announcement,
as if to give everyone the chance to forget they did it.
You're right, Apple should also sell $300 PC notebooks and $50 tablets in it's store,
But they don’t and never have.
Duh...
However, the products being removed aren’t really competing. Just view the AppleWatch commercial and it’s shown as a do all device, not just a fitness band.
I just made simple observation. Not looking for big argument over why it’s “wrong” or "Apple can do whatever they want”.
Another bullshit post.
What are the "partners" gonna do? Not create accessories for iproducts?
Na-na na-na,
Hey hey hey,
Goodbye...
:smokey:
These gadgets have been useless for a while now. You can get a 5s on contract for the price of a fitness tracker, and it's a better fitness tracker.
This no longer seems to be the case. The designs are still incredible. The os x is still awesome, though many would say too dumbed down. But the main idea is that the design and the user experience are drifting apart from each other. I can say steve wouldn't do this all day long and many would tear me apart calling that statement blasphemy etc. but when the iphone 4 was replaced by the 5, you could immediately pick up the phone and it felt better, it felt right. And so true with so many other products. The move to the 6 dare i say threw away years of development to made something completely different in hopes of blowing away people and most importantly investors to raise stock price. Which i feel has been the main goal of apple since tim cook took control. He after all was the finance guy there. Its what he knows. But back to what it means for the products. There will continue to be more. They will continue to divide there users. And apple will continue to slowly put their competitors under by not fairly representing them on there sight. To get back to the original idea, if the watch is that much more incredible than the other devices that warrant the exorbitant price tag, why get rid of them? How does crossing the people who helped make you what you are off your sight help continue a friendly competitive environment for products occur. Is apple not starting to pull the same tricks in different ways as once gigantic Microsoft and how will it affect the consumers who trust in apple to provide the most well thought out product from a user standpoint. Because in my mind thats what is slowly occurring and at some point someone with call it what it will become... A monopoly. The good news is the company still has time. Lots of time and enough money/people/resources to rethink the plans and ways to limit the the products. Make them the best not just because they're apple products. And keep investors happy and consumers coming back...
Dont immediately flip out just take a step back from your emotions and ponder my theories
Well, just a reminder, if you have a iPhone 5s or higher, you have a free pedometer that also tracks distance and elevation.
These gadgets have been useless for a while now. You can get a 5s on contract for the price of a fitness tracker, and it's a better fitness tracker.
Using what app?
Health.
Ha, I've had that app hidden since it came out and just opened it up - sure enough you're right. Wow.