The race to dominate the nascent wearable technology market is already witnessing early stumbles – even before one potential winner has finished limbering up.

Nike is considering pulling its two-year-old Fuelband device out of the competition ahead of Apple’s entry into the market later this year. Following a report on tech news site CNET, Nike confirmed it was laying off staff in its digital sports team and refused to commit to future devices, although it insisted Fuelband remained an “important” part of its business.

Health-tracking gadgets from the likes of Nike, Fitbit, and Jawbone measure how far the wearer walks or runs in a day, the vigour of a workout and the quality of their sleep. Such devices have been tipped as the next big thing in technology after the smartphone, yet some think Apple will trounce them all when it launches its iWatch.