Jawbone Ceases Production of Fitness Trackers, Seeks Buyer for Speaker Business

[NeroAZ]

I have 2 of the mini jambox speakers. I use them frequently. they can be linked together so that i can have them on different sides of the kitchen while i'm cooking something and get sound from both sides.

One I bought for $100 when they were like $180, and the other I bought 6 months later when target clearanced them out for like $45

 

[VulchR]

This is shame - I have used UP bands for quite some time. It is true that the early up bands had issues, but they replaced mine when it went faulty very quickly and without hassle. I like their software, and in particular I like how my current UP band can go for days without recharging. Fitbit should by Jawbone's database of customer information, so when inevitably when people switch to Fitbit, they won't lose all their data.

As for buying Apple watch as an alternative, no thank you. It's big, cludgy, and needs recharging too often.

 

[sandman42]

I really liked my Icon HD headset, and liked my original Jambox possibly more. I thought they were great products, but was disappointed when Aliph/Jawbone pushed an update to the companion "Jawbone Updater" software that obsoleted those products, without warning. No way to manage or configure the hardware anymore, whatsoever, and no way to revert to the earlier software. Didn't seem like they really needed to do that. I wrote them and complained, and naturally got no satisfaction. If that's the way the support their products (and their customers) they deserve to falter, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[TwoBytes]

buy 'em up Apple!

 

[Cwolk]

Wow, that caught me off guard!

 

[dampfnudel]

I've always read mixed reviews on many of their products and many of the products were overpriced for what you got, so it's not too surprising if they're on their way out. A lot of accessory manufacturers try to emulate Apple in their branding, marketing & pricing, but often come up short with the actual product.

 

[Zirel]

So "what" begins? Are we saying Apple put them out of business, after all of the noise on this forum about how Apple Watch doesn't compete with the devices that are reported to outsell it? Choose one: having the cake, or eating it.

The Apple Watch doesn't compete with them.

The Apple Watch obsoletes fitness trackers.

Just like the iPod obsoleted diskmans and the iPad obsoleted e-readers.

 

[Carlanga]

I had the original up. Had to get it replaced 4 times until I got tired of it dying. I did love the wake up vibration. That's be only thing that I really liked about it.

 

[bluespark]

Sorry to hear this. I just got a Big Jambox and love it.

 

[kelake]

Shame. I like their app., far more so than Apple's effort to date. Their budget price UP Move isn't bad either.

 

[furi0usbee]

I'm sure the "watch," from Apple and Samsung has hurt these guys. Those watches and the phones do pretty much what this can do. And they want to waste money (and time) doing a health-tracker thingy? Just die now, and save some money.

 

[I7guy]

The Apple Watch doesn't compete with them.

The Apple Watch obsoletes fitness trackers.

Just like the iPod obsoleted diskmans and the iPad obsoleted e-readers.

My Fitbit surge gets 4 days of battery life and has a gps. No, the Apple Watch does not obsolete fitness trackers and I can wear it to bed to track my sleep since a daily charge isn't required.

 

[nrvna76]

So I am within my return period of my up2. Would you return because of this? Warranty support and app development worries. I wear this with my Apple Watch since I can't wear my watch to work but I can wear an activity tracker without a mic.

 

[MacProMovie]

Yea the first one I bought 2 of. One for me and wife. Had to get mine replaced 4 times. Hers twice.

The UP is so poorly made. Three broke on me, the last one being out of warranty. The software was great, but they deserve to go out of business based on the hardware.

 

[dan110]

Apple should buy both of these brands/businesses from Jawbone. This is a no brainer. This would make more sense than the Beats by Dre thing.

 

[SevLucas]

Unfortunate. I received a big jambox back in 2012 as a gift and use it as my main home speaker to this day. Even though I thought the price was pretty steep, it has great sound and the battery has held up very well after all these years of use. I was recently thinking to myself if an updated version would be released anytime soon.. Guess not

 

[Solomani]

So it begins.

FitBit is next.

 

[manu chao]

FitBit is next.

Aren't there a couple of smaller companies that would come before FitBit when it comes to going under?

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Too many issues with their fitness trackers.

I've got a pile of 18 broken UP bands to prove that (I actually went through around 25 of them but some they asked I send back). Great product if it actually functioned without breaking after a month every time.

 

[pika2000]

The company that "pioneered" the rectangle-bluetooth-speaker craze.
Bought two of the first gen ones when they were first released, then Jambox stopped supporting them. Now this would normally be fine, but Jambox did a dick move. The selling point of the speakers was firmware updates. Instead of simply allowing the first gen jambox to get whatever latest firmware available, Jambox simply programmed the update software to not recognize the product anymore. Really dick move. I understand for not making newer firmwares for the speaker, but why stopping users to update at least to the last updated firmware?

So good riddance.

 

[Plutonius]

I like my Jawbone speaker but there are now competitors that are better and cheaper.

 

[D-Dave]

Wrist real estate is a scarce resource. Cheap fitness bands compete for the same space on your wrist; looking forward, increasingly sophisticated smartwatches will put specialized devices out of business.

It's Blackberry 2009 time for FitBit.

I 100% agree with the first statement...but come to a different conclusion: My left wrist is always occupied with one of my mechanical watches (even though I got an apple watch to try it out I doubt it got more then a couple days on the wrist after which to me it was more of an annoyance then something i actualy found useful...plus the looks [warning, personal taste] don't apeal to me at all) this leaves my right wrist free. So I MUCH prefer a simple inconspicuous Band on that wrist to avoid the "wearing two watches look".

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

They're simply saying they aren't going out of business as they know no one will buy their products if they know they're going to be stuck with a fitness band that will never see updates.
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Anyone know where these heavily discounted UP4s can be had?

I've yet to buy a fitness tracker. Thus far they've all been high in price and short in features/functionality. (I've wanted one with amazing sleep tracking and health sensors but none seem to have both, as far as I've seen from reviews)

So if it's heavily discounted, might be worth messing around with…

Be aware they break often. Without the support of Jawbone replacing them you'll be out your money. Also, it requires their app and the backend service to work. If they shutter their fitness tracker division then you're left with a bracelet that does nothing.

I wouldn't recommend buying even at a discount.

 

[tennisproha]

Be aware they break often. Without the support of Jawbone replacing them you'll be out your money. Also, it requires their app and the backend service to work. If they shutter their fitness tracker division then you're left with a bracelet that does nothing.

I wouldn't recommend buying even at a discount

That's a very valid point. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[kiranmk2]

Does anyone know who they sold their inventory to?