Jawbone says Fitbit patent claims violate anti-competition laws

Wearable technology maker Jawbone has accused rival Fitbit of using patent litigation and “poaching” key employees to hurt it commercially in an anti-competition claim filed at a US court.

Fitbit has filed patent lawsuits against Jawbone at both the US District Court for the Northern District of California and the US District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of three of its patents.

But in a counterclaim filed at the California court on Friday, October 30, Jawbone said that the cases are “part of [Fitbit’s] by-any-means necessary campaign to impede competitors and preserve its dominant position in the fitness-tracker market”.

“Fitbit intends to use this case to intimidate and harass its most prominent competitor rather than legitimately enforce its IP rights,” Jawbone claimed.

Furthermore, Jawbone argued that the “poaching” of its employees by Fitbit was intended to obtain trade secrets on its fitness tracking devices. Jawbone added that the misappropriation of the company’s confidential information is part of a wider plan to “decimate” it commercially.