Apple is starting to use its retail and online store influence to compete with rival brands, getting rid of FitBit wearables in preparation for the launch of the Apple Watch.

FitBit is one of the only successful providers of wearables pre-smartwatch, before the Pebble and Android Wear. Alongside Jawbone and Nike, FitBit has transitioned into the smartwatch age - but might find it hard to stay relevant.

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This new move by Apple mimics the removal of Bose from Apple Stores, both online and retail. Bose is a big competitor with Beats and recently announced a deal with NFL, to remove Beats headphones from the broadcast; fining any players wearing the headphones.

Neither company announced the removal, but if Apple wants to make its wearable front and center, removing any rival brands is the way to start. FitBit has some of the best gear in the business, and while Nike is partnering with Apple, FitBit is not.

This is the penalty for not siding with iOS on the wearable battle. FitBit has not announced where people buy their FitBit devices from or the gap between iOS or Android, but Apple Stores are visited by hundreds of millions of people every day, so the removal will hurt FitBit in some way.

Apple Watch does a lot more than the average FitBit wearable - both have an emphasis on health and fitness, however the Apple Watch offers a dedicated interface for all types of wearable apps and services, making it a more complete device.

FitBit recently announced a new line of products, the FitBit Force, Force HR and Surge. The third wearable, FitBit Surge, has some smartwatch ideas, but remains at its core as a fitness band.

TagsFitBit, Apple Watch, smartwatch, wearables, Apple Stores