Jawbone owner files new lawsuit against Fitbit as fitness-tracker firms war escalates

The battle between wearable fitness-tracker makers Jawbone and Fitbit has stepped up a gear, after the former filed its second lawsuit in two weeks against its rival.

The suit, filed in a San Francisco court by Jawbone parent AlphiCom, accuses Fitbit of patent infringement and seeks damages as well as an injunction to halt Fitbit sales.

A previous complaint lodged last month alleged that Fitbit had “systemically plundered” Jawbone company secrets by poaching staff.

Jawbone said it has spent well over $100 million (£64.7 million) in research and development into its devices like the UP band, which uses sensors to capture how wearers move and sleep and uploads the data to a smartphone for analysis.

The legal action was seen as a strategic move as it comes ahead of Fitbit’s planned flotation on the New York Stock Exchange.

Fitbit, which makes trackers like the Flex and Charge HR devices, earned $745.4 million in revenue last year and is seeking to raise up to $478 million, according to Bloomberg.

Both companies face increased competition from products like the Apple Watch.

Fitbit said in a statement: "Fitbit has independently developed and delivered innovative product offerings to empower its customers to lead healthier, more active lives.

"Since its inception, Fitbit has more than 200 issued patents and patent applications in this area.

"Fitbit plans to vigorously defend itself against these allegations."