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Apple Follows Through With Plans to Stop Selling Fitbit Devices
Last month, news surfaced of Apple's plans to cease selling Fitbit's line of activity tracking devices in its stores, and as of today, it appears the company has followed through with that decision. All Fitbit products have now been removed from the online Apple Store and Apple has begun removing the devices from its retail stores as well.
Apple previously sold both the Fitbit Flex, Fitbit's activity tracking band, and the Fitbit One, a standalone tracker that could be clipped to clothing, for $99.95. It is not known why Apple opted to remove Fitbit's products from its online stores, but the decision follows Fitbit's announcement that it had no plans to integrate with Apple HealthKit, as it is "working on other exciting projects" for Fitbit users.
Fitbit's activity trackers are similar in function to Apple's upcoming Apple Watch, offering users the ability to track steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed, and more. Last week, Fitbit announced a new Surge "Fitness Super Watch" that also includes GPS functionality and a heart rate monitor, bringing its tracking capabilities even more in line with the Apple Watch.
Though Fitbit devices have been removed from Apple Stores, Apple is continuing to sell other fitness tracking products, including the UP from Jawbone and the Nike Fuelband. Jawbone recently introduced the UP3, its most recent fitness tracking device that includes skin and ambient temperature sensors along with a heart rate monitor. It is unclear whether Apple will continue to sell these devices as the launch of the Apple Watch approaches or if the ban is limited to Fitbit.
Fitbit's activity trackers are not the first products that Apple has removed from its stores in recent weeks. Earlier in October, Apple removed Bose audio products from its stores, no longer offering the headphones online or in retail locations.
Apple previously sold both the Fitbit Flex, Fitbit's activity tracking band, and the Fitbit One, a standalone tracker that could be clipped to clothing, for $99.95. It is not known why Apple opted to remove Fitbit's products from its online stores, but the decision follows Fitbit's announcement that it had no plans to integrate with Apple HealthKit, as it is "working on other exciting projects" for Fitbit users.
Fitbit's activity trackers are similar in function to Apple's upcoming Apple Watch, offering users the ability to track steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed, and more. Last week, Fitbit announced a new Surge "Fitness Super Watch" that also includes GPS functionality and a heart rate monitor, bringing its tracking capabilities even more in line with the Apple Watch.
Though Fitbit devices have been removed from Apple Stores, Apple is continuing to sell other fitness tracking products, including the UP from Jawbone and the Nike Fuelband. Jawbone recently introduced the UP3, its most recent fitness tracking device that includes skin and ambient temperature sensors along with a heart rate monitor. It is unclear whether Apple will continue to sell these devices as the launch of the Apple Watch approaches or if the ban is limited to Fitbit.
Fitbit's activity trackers are not the first products that Apple has removed from its stores in recent weeks. Earlier in October, Apple removed Bose audio products from its stores, no longer offering the headphones online or in retail locations.
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56 months ago
Good decision. When I shop at Apple stores, I expect a selection that's curated to include only companies that support the latest iOS features. If I want to take my chances, I go to best buy.
Should that include apple themselves ??
FYI not all Apple products support the latest iOS features ;)
56 months ago
Good decision. When I shop at Apple stores, I expect a selection that's curated to include only companies that support the latest iOS features. If I want to take my chances, I go to best buy.
56 months ago
Fitbit's [url="https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/10/fitbit-force-activity-tracking-wristband-launches-with-built-in-altimeter-phone-notifications-for-ios-7/"]activity trackers (https://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/07/apple-stops-selling-fitbit-devices/) are similar in function to Apple's upcoming Apple Watch, offering users the ability to track steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed, and more.
Except that Fitbit has the ability to last several days on a charge as well as track sleeping habits.
56 months ago
I don't get what the big deal is. Fitbit says they're not supporting HealthKit and Apple says well then we don't need to sell your products in our stores. What Apple chooses to sell online and in their B&M stores is highly curated anyway. If someone wants to buy a Fitbit there's plenty of other places to buy it from.
56 months ago
You know Tim Jobs why don't you remove Kindle, Pondora, Spotify, any Google App fromyour Apple Store? Clearly they're your competition.
Give us choice or we shall leave!
:apple:
Give us choice or we shall leave!
:apple:
56 months ago
You know Tim Jobs why don't you remove Kindle, Pondora, Spotify, any Google App fromyour Apple Store? Clearly they're your competition.
Give us choice or we shall leave!
:apple:
You can still go to Best Buy, Amazon, Target, etc...
56 months ago
This will be viewed negatively, but it makes sense on a few levels:
* Square footage. There are a large number of Apple Watch models and bands. There is only so much square footage in a retail store. Streamlining the number of products and accessories affords them the required space to sell an ambitious new line of products.
* Simplification of the story. When a customer comes in, the choices and messaging around Apple Watch is going to be complex. Why complicate it further by having competing products on the shelf that retail employees have to compare/contrast with customers?
* Ecosystem. FitBit has chosen to not add support for HealthKit. Not much else to say about this.
* Square footage. There are a large number of Apple Watch models and bands. There is only so much square footage in a retail store. Streamlining the number of products and accessories affords them the required space to sell an ambitious new line of products.
* Simplification of the story. When a customer comes in, the choices and messaging around Apple Watch is going to be complex. Why complicate it further by having competing products on the shelf that retail employees have to compare/contrast with customers?
* Ecosystem. FitBit has chosen to not add support for HealthKit. Not much else to say about this.
56 months ago
Fitbit's Reply in a nutshell:
Image (http://i.imgur.com/37YHD0j.gif)
My guess is that Fitbit started the "war." When HealthKit was announced at WWDC Fitbit was the poster child. Something happened in the intervening months because then Fitbit said it would not support Health app.
This has zero to do with Apple getting behind competing products -- it sells plenty of non-Apple activity bands in its stores -- and everything to do with not wasting valuable store or web space promoting a product that isn't compatible with the Health App.
56 months ago
You can still go to Best Buy, Amazon, Target, etc...
There are many people with an insatiable desire to give their money ONLY to Apple. Handing it to BestBuy just give them the same feeling of ecstasy.
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