Ahead of the April 24th launch of its first wearable, Apple has started removing competing health and fitness products from its retail stores. Re/code reports that the company is pulling fitness bands from Nike and Jawbone from its shelves.
It’s not the first time Apple has stopped selling a product to avoid competition. Last year the retailer removed Bose products from its stores after the NFL banned Apple-owned Beats headphones from appearing on camera to accommodate a Bose sponsorship deal, and Bose filed a lawsuit against Beats.
Bose’s products eventually reappeared in Apple Stores. Whether Jawbone and Nike will have similar luck once the Apple Watch has picked up some sales is unknown, but unlikely.
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Who cares? These products are known to just “guesstimate” your physical activity anyway. You know—just like the $500 Apple Watch will.
Disgusting. Its like 1984 ! Oh the irony.
I am glad I left the Apple Bubble for good. There is a rich, diverse, exciting free world out there.
What’s disgusting about it. It’s a textbook business decision.
It’s called the Apple Store. I don’t know what’s is more ironic…. A brand store selling branded products or competing ones…
As much as it sucks you’re correct. Apple is not running a bestbuy store. It only becomes a problem if they stop support or cripple competing devices on iOS.
Adding to the rest of the drivel, didn’t Nike stop making Fuel Band?? Or something like that?
With Tim’s connection to Nike, I’m of the thought that the Nike side of this has been coordinated.