Apple removes Nike FuelBand and Jawbone UP from its stores as Apple Watch launch looms

With the Apple Watch launching on April 24, Apple has started removing products from its online and retail locations that could be considered competition to Apple's timepiece. Wearables produced by Nike and Jawbone are no longer available from both the online and brick and mortar Apple Stores. In fact, Apple has removed all fitness bands from the two Apple Stores except for the MIO Alpha Heart Rate Monitor Watch, which remains listed in the online store. However, MIO CEO Liz Dickinson has admitted to receiving a letter from Apple telling her that the MIO band will soon join the others, a victim of the upcoming Apple Watch.

Other fitness monitors are still listed for sale in the online Apple Store, although they are not worn on the wrist. For example, both Wahoo and Polar have monitors that are worn around the body. The Jawbone UP Move clip-on finess tracker is also still available online.

Apple had already stopped selling popular fitness bands made by Fitbit last year after the wearable manufacturer decided not to allow its products to integrate with Apple's HealthKit. The latter keeps track of the fitness and health data generated by third party fitness trackers, and the Apple Watch once it is released.

Nike, for its part, has been focusing on software instead of hardware and its health and fitness focused Nike+ app will be available for the Apple Watch.

source: re/code via AppleInsider