Jawbone
Jawbone was a San Francisco-based consumer technology company that developed wearable fitness trackers and portable audio devices. The company raised approximately $930 million before ceasing operations amid competition from Fitbit and Apple Watch.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Jawbone does
Jawbone was a San Francisco-based consumer technology company that developed and sold wearable technology and portable audio devices. Founded in 1997, the company operated in the consumer electronics space with a product portfolio centered on fitness trackers and wearable hardware. Over its operating life, Jawbone raised substantial venture and institutional capital across more than a dozen disclosed funding rounds between 2006 and 2018, with cumulative disclosed funding exceeding $900 million. Backers included top-tier venture investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, and JPMorgan Partners, along with later-stage institutional investors including BlackRock and the Kuwait Investment Authority.
The company's go-to-market strategy relied on a combination of direct-to-consumer sales and retail distribution for its hardware products. Jawbone pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy between 2013 and 2014, completing four acquisitions, most notably BodyMedia for approximately $100 million in April 2013, which brought fitness-tracking sensor technology and data capabilities in-house. The company was led by Chief Creative Officer Yves Behar, a prominent industrial designer, signaling a design-led product strategy intended to differentiate Jawbone from pure-play technology competitors. The company also pursued a category pivot from portable audio into fitness wearables, broadening its addressable product surface.
Jawbone is no longer operating as an active business. The company's official website displays minimal content with a 'More info coming soon' message, and contact information redirects to aliph.com. Multiple sources, including Forbes, describe Jawbone as a 'failed fitness company,' indicating the company ceased operations after raising approximately $930 million in total funding. The failure reflects intense competitive pressure from rivals such as Fitbit and Apple Watch, which came to dominate the consumer fitness tracker market in the mid-2010s.
Jawbone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jawbone
- Legal name
- Jawbone
- Website
- https://jawbone.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Jawbone was a San Francisco-based consumer technology company that developed wearable fitness trackers and portable audio devices. The company raised approximately $930 million before ceasing operations amid competition from Fitbit and Apple Watch.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jawbone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Electronics
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)
- SIC
- Telephone & Telegraph Apparatus (3661)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hearables (True Wireless Earbuds & Smart Headphones) (CRACAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wireless Headphones (Over‑Ear & On‑Ear) (CRACANAB), Audio Accessories (Ear Tips, Cables, Stands, Cases, Transmitters) (CRACANAM)
Keywords
Where Jawbone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Jawbone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Jawbone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jawbone was an audio technology company that developed and sold wearable fitness-tracking devices and portable audio products to consumers. The company combined sensor-based activity monitoring hardware with wireless speaker systems as its two main product lines before ceasing operations.
Product overview
Jawbone was a fitness tracker and wearable technology company. The company website (jawbone.com) displays minimal information with a 'More info coming soon' message and a contact redirect to aliph.com. The available source material does not provide specific product names, descriptions, or details about the company's product portfolio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wearable fitness tracker devices
- Portable wireless audio devices
Companies that use Jawbone
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles2 records
Jawbone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Jawbone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights3 records
Jawbone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fitbit: Fitbit was Jawbone's most direct competitor in consumer fitness bands and is the most comparable peer. Both companies competed head-to-head in the wrist-worn fitness tracker category throughout the Jawbone UP era, and Fitbit ultimately acquired parts of Jawbone's patent estate.
- Garmin: Garmin competes in the same wearable fitness/health tracking category that Jawbone's UP line targeted, particularly multisport watches and 24/7 wearables. Both companies emphasized sensor accuracy and an active-lifestyle consumer base.
- Xiaomi (Mi Band): Xiaomi's Mi Band disrupted the low-end fitness tracker market that Jawbone also targeted. Its aggressive pricing and high unit volumes reshaped the category and contributed to margin pressure on incumbents like Jawbone.
- Bose: Bose is a direct competitor in the premium portable Bluetooth speaker category where Jawbone's JAMBOX and BIG JAMBOX products once led. Both brands targeted the same design-conscious, premium audio consumer.
- Sonos: Sonos competes in portable and home wireless audio, the broader category in which Jawbone's JAMBOX line sat. Both companies emphasize multi-room/wireless audio experiences for the premium consumer segment.
- JBL (Harman): JBL is a direct competitor in portable Bluetooth speakers and audio accessories, offering rugged, lifestyle-targeted speakers at competitive price points that pressured Jawbone's JAMBOX lineup.
- Beats (Apple): Beats competes in wireless headphones and consumer audio where Jawbone also offered products. Both brands built identity around design, lifestyle marketing, and audio hardware, and Beats is now part of Apple's ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Apple (Apple Watch): Apple Watch is the dominant incumbent in the smart fitness wearable category that Jawbone UP once led. Apple's entry into health sensors and ecosystem integration is widely cited as a primary cause of Jawbone's market share collapse.
- Samsung (Galaxy Watch / Gear): Samsung competes in the smartwatch and fitness wearable space and bundles hardware with a large Android ecosystem. It is broadly comparable to Jawbone's wearables ambitions from a platform/integration standpoint.
Emerging players
- Huawei ( wearables): Huawei is an emerging global player in fitness bands and smartwatches, particularly outside the US. It is comparable to Jawbone as a fitness wearable OEM that scaled rapidly on price-performance.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Jawbone social profiles
Digital presenceJawbone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jawbone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Jawbone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds15 records
Investors22 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jawbone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Jawbone
What does Jawbone do?
Jawbone was an audio technology company that developed and sold wearable fitness-tracking devices and portable audio products to consumers. The company combined sensor-based activity monitoring hardware with wireless speaker systems as its two main product lines before ceasing operations.
Is Jawbone a public or private company?
Jawbone is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was Jawbone founded?
Jawbone was founded in 1997. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Jawbone based?
Jawbone is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Jawbone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fitbit, Garmin, Xiaomi (Mi Band), Bose, Sonos, JBL (Harman) and Beats (Apple). Broad incumbents are Apple (Apple Watch) and Samsung (Galaxy Watch / Gear). Huawei ( wearables) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Jawbone have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jawbone.
What industry is Jawbone in?
Jawbone's product category is Consumer Electronics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAIAD, Hearables (True Wireless Earbuds & Smart Headphones), with a secondary code of CRACANAB, Wireless Headphones (Over‑Ear & On‑Ear). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3661.