Jawbone is finally going to be releasing its Up3 fitness tracker, four months later than initially planned. Expected for release at the end of last year, the tracker was delayed due to waterproofing issues, a problem that not only forced the late release of the fitness wearable, but has also prompted the company to admit it will not be as water resistant as it had hoped.
A blog post by Travis Bogard, vice president of product management and strategy at Jawbone, advises the company was confident it would start mass production weeks after the initial launch.
“As we began to scale our manufacturing process it became clear that, while most units passed our high quality bar, a proportion did not,” writes Bogard. “Specifically, we were not achieving the level of water resistance we had passed in the design and initial production stages.”
The original plan would have had the Up3 as a wearable device capable of resisting depths of up to 10 meters (32 feet), but this could not be guaranteed after “extensive and exhaustive testing.” The Up3 is now being marketed with water resistance comparable to other trackers, including resistance to “everyday splashing,” such as in the shower or washing hands, but it is unsuitable for swimming and submerged use.
Shipments of the Up3 are anticipated to begin in the United States from April 20, with all pre-orders expected to be fulfilled by no later than mid-May. Due to the lower water resistance and the delay, Jawbone is allowing existing pre-orders to be cancelled at no charge.
