Apple Stores Will Once Again Stock Jawbone Wearables as Early as July

[MacRumors]

Jawbone is returning to Apple Stores, with both the Jawbone UP2 and UP3 to go on sale as early as next month. The news was confirmed by the company's senior product manager Jason Donahue at a press event in Japan, as reported by Mac Otakara (via AppleInsider). He informed those in attendance that the fitness tracker would be in stock in Japanese Apple Stores by "early July," and that other regions, specifically the United States, would have them earlier.

The first shipments to Apple Stores will specifically cover re-stocking the cheaper $99.99 UP2 fitness band, followed by the higher-end $179.99 UP3, although Donahue gave no specific retail timeline for the inclusion of the bands for any region. The Jawbone UP Move was never removed from Apple Stores, because the initial package doesn't come with wrist-worn capabilities and is designed more as a clip-on accessory.

The return of Jawbone to Apple Stores is interesting in its timing, and follows Apple's removal of all its wearable tech rivals in early March, prior to the Apple Watch's launch. That purge removed Jawbone, Nike Fuelband, and MIO products from not only retail locations but the Apple online storefront as well.

Although the day-to-day demand for the Apple Watch has decreased since its initial pre-order period, multiple Apple employees and analysts point to the company's new wearable as a huge success out of the gate. This confidence in the product and its momentum moving forward into the year could have encouraged Apple to allow competitors back into their retail shops.

Interestingly, back in April Jawbone announced the UP4 alongside a partnership with American Express to bring contactless payments to the fitness tracker for the first time. No word was given by Donahue on the inclusion of such a direct competitor to the Apple Watch into Apple retail locations, but it will be interesting to see if Apple continues to allow more companies to return to its stores with such similar products as its new wearable.

Article Link: Apple Stores Will Once Again Stock Jawbone Wearables as Early as July

 

[DavidTheExpert]

An overhyped wearable device like the Jawbone will be right at home in an Apple store.

 

[placidity44]

I'm confused as to why they'd do this. I'd remove all competitors wearables and not think twice.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

I'm confused as to why they'd do this. I'd remove all competitors wearables and not think twice.

I'm not sure you've thunk once.

 

[cdm283813]

I'm confused as to why they'd do this. I'd remove all competitors wearables and not think twice.

Why stop there. Remove all non Apple product from Apple stores including cases and screen protectors. Hell; don't approve apps that communicate with such wearables. How far do you want to take this and who decides; Tim Cook?

 

[H.Finch]

If Apple made a wearable like this...it’d be an instant buy for me. Nog display, no ridiculous battery life, no thick display strapped to my wrist... Just a fitness tracker. With a week long battery life... Sadly Jawbone has made so many mistakes with their wearables that theirs are not an option any longer for me.

 

[apparatchik]

I guess Apple see them as no competition, cant guess why they wont sell the MS band? They do sell Office after all...

 

[eagle33199]

It makes sense. Apple pulls the competing devices when their watch goes on sale, as the watch is only available online and not in stores. Just as they make the watch available in stores, they bring these devices back. It gives their employees a chance to up-sell customers to the watch, as devices like this are in a bag and they have the whole experience for the watch right there. Before customers would ignore the up-sell, not wanting the hassle of ordering online when they're already in the store and not wanting to wait. Now it's just a cost/features challenge, and the Apple showcase experience can really help with that.

 

[darcyf]

I'm not sure you've thunk once.

Please try and make a reasoned argument if you disagree with someone. This type of knee-jerk disparagement, making it personal and being snarky, that goes on around here has really got to go.

 

[K Alexander Chin]

Good that the consumers have choice again.

 

[hofer]

Maybe fitbit is next? I don't think so - too popular!

 

[srshaw]

I'm not really sure fitbits and jawbones are really the same thing as an Apple watch. Infact I regularly swap devices. My Apple watch I wear most of the day, I use a Polar V800 for running and a Garmin vivofit if doing something that might trash my Apple Watch like Gardening. They all sync to Apple Health which collates the steps/distance etc from each device.

It would be nice if Apple health could send information back to the watch so my Runs move the rings but thats no big deal.