Nokia owned subsidiary Withings is finding its products out on the curb after being booted from Apple’s online and physical store shelves. Normally a story about products being removed from store shelves wouldn’t be that interesting. What makes this story worthy of discussing is the fact Nokia has taken Apple to court over some patent issues and this move is being seen as retaliatory. Withings sells health-focused technology like scales, fitness watches, sleep trackers, and thermometers and has been selling them in Apple Stores for a few years now.
Why Apple ceased Withings sales is unclear, but devices made by the Nokia subsidiary are no longer listed on Apple’s website. Previously, Apple carried a wide range of iOS-compatible Withings devices in its retail stores, including the Body Cardio Scale and Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor.
Apple also expunged all mention of Withings and its product line from the Apple.com online retail database. A quick check shows text autofill no longer identifies “Withings,” “Body Cardio Scale,” “Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor” or “Smart Body Analyzer,” all products that were in the system prior to the abrupt policy change.
Apple did the same thing to Bose when the company sued Beats Audio over some patents it was only defending. Apple does have the right to sell whatever products they want in both their online and retail stores without having to give a reason for doing so, but some do consider Apple’s leverage of its retail might as underhanded. Business is a dirty thing sometimes and Apple is one of the dirtiest players in the world, but there is hope for Withings. Bose made it back on Apple Store shelves a few months after the Apple ax was taken to their products, maybe Withings will find mercy too.
What do you think of Apple removing these products from store shelves? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
[button link=”http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/12/23/apple-seemingly-removes-withings-products-from-amid-nokia-patent-row” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: AppleInsider[/button]Last Updated on January 23, 2017.
