Apple pulls more Apple Watch competitors from its retail stores

Apple has removed competing fitness bands from its retail stores as the company prepares to ship its own wearable, the Apple Watch. Checks of major stores in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles and New York reveal Apple no longer carries such popular bands as the Jawbone Up and the Nike+ FuelBand, both activity-tracking wristbands. The Mio, a heart rate-tracking device worn on the wrist, can only be found in Apple’s online store. The move comes as the tech behemoth is readying for the April 24 shipping date of the Apple Watch, which Apple has touted as a personal fitness trainer, capable of tracking steps and other metrics, such as heart rate. And it’s hardly a surprise. Apple has been gradually removing fitness trackers from its stores since last April, with the most recent refresh of its accessories happening this year. After the initial watch announcement was made last fall, Apple yanked Fitbit’s products from its stores.