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Apple Floated as Potential Buyer of Peloton
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Regardless of what people think, Peloton makes a great product which people love. Their biggest problem is that they saw massive growth due to Covid that's not been sustained, the reason for which should be obvious to everyone. Apple's Fitness+ is essentially a clone of what Peloton does, poorer but a lot cheaper. I can see them buying Peloton to get their ecosystem and userbase, but I don't see Apple manufacturing exercise bikes.
It was a design flaw. They admitted it and apologized to not responding fast enough. Their entire company is toxic, from the employees who disrespect healthcare and first responders to their ceo who threw a party during COVID after their stock tanked by over 10%.
Not sure what I said that sounded like I was trying to justify a purchase. My argument isn't about luxury stationary bikes (although doesn't that sound like an Apple sort of thing?), but rather about fitness equipment generally. Between Peloton and Precor, they have a ton of high-quality fitness equipment that is begging for supply-chain management and user device connectivity. The market for the bike itself isn't nearly as large as Peloton projected (this was an enormous mistake), but it isn't small, and the market for connected fitness equipment is only going to grow.
Here's another aspect to this: fitness centers and hotels have lots of Precor equipment. Imagine if those users could seamlessly connect their equipment workouts to Apple Fitness?
Hmm, that is very Apple-esque. I change my vote, this is a good buy for them.
A recent "Family Guy" episode sums it up pretty well. In the episode Lois gets a Peloton, goes hog wild using it for a day or two, gets ripped, but then abandons it very quickly. Everyone I’ve ever known who bought exercise equipment like Peloton, Body by Jake, etc. did the same thing. They buy it, use it a few times, get bored with it very quickly, then it winds up in the garage or attic collecting dust. People like that are not going to be repeat customers. Most of Peloton's customers are probably "one and done" customers. Apple would be foolish to waste money on that type of product. And so are the customers. I bet 90%+ of Peloton customers by one device, abandon it within a week or two, then never buy another one.
It's not a design flaw which is why they initially resisted the recall. Other companies have been using the same design for decades. If Peloton was not a target, why have other manufacturers, using the same design, not been included in the recall?
Actually, this is what makes Peloton a valuable company and almost certain to survive in one way or another. Most exercise equipment is exactly like that. However Peloton publishes the data on their subscriber retention and use. It's off the charts. People who buy their equipment tend to use it, a lot.
It was design flaw in the way theirs didn't have what others had initiallyIt's not a design flaw which is why they initially resisted the recall. Other companies have been using the same design for decades. If Peloton was not a target, why have other manufacturers, using the same design, not been included in the recall?
I don't believe the data. Almost everyone I know that has one stopped using after a couple of months. And, I know a bunch of suckers. And, even so, paying monthly for something you pay big dollars up front for is hilarious. It's a fad and users feel bad not paying because they got suckered in to buying it.
But they are highly diversified following last year's Precor acquisition. They just don't know what to do with all of the hardware under their umbrella. That's one reason why a acquisition makes sense: Peloton is sitting on a ton of value that its management team doesn't know how to unlock. Although many people seem to equate the company with the Bike only, that's very far from the reality.
I would too, but it's -30C here (Canada) now.
I do have a trainer to put said bike on in the garage, which I use with an iPad while counting the days until spring.
Agreed. I also enjoy my Peloton bike and the overall experience. The primary reason I didn't also buy the Tread is that it doesn't work with Apple Watch, unlike my Bike+. Even though I have access to Apple Fitness+, I don't use it as I've been happy with Peloton's various classes. So yes, I would love for Apple to acquire Peloton.
Apple is in such a weird place right now that I wouldn’t put it past them to actually buy Peloton (I don’t think they will, but it wouldn’t completely surprise me). However, it depends on how well Apple Fitness is doing. I imagine that most paid subscribers come from the Apple One bundle rather than subscribing to Fitness by itself. Could a foray into exercise equipment boost Fitness subscriptions? With Apple’s emphasis on services, it might actually make sense to make that move.
I ride 5,000 miles a year, but between work, short days in winter and icy roads, not always possible to get out. Sometimes I just crush an hour or so on my Tacx. Although usually I’m watching something on my iPad
Exactly! I have a bike and Apple Fitness+ is an absolute joke compared to Peloton. I looked into using a tablet with a cheap bike and it just doesn’t compare. Guess you need to try it to understand.
It's a lot more likely that you don't actually know anyone who owns Peloton equipment.
I did think about buying one but knew that after a few months I would regret it, bought myself a $600 spin bike and now use the Apple Fitness + cycle classes and love it.
IF Apple were to buy and then convert the bike and OS into Apple Fitness would I buy......more than likely as long as the bike went to a more sensible price and there wasn't an up lift in AF+ cost
IF Apple were to buy and then convert the bike and OS into Apple Fitness would I buy......more than likely as long as the bike went to a more sensible price and there wasn't an up lift in AF+ cost
Apple purchasing Peloton who are well known in the bike industry could purchase the company with the intention of Apple introducing some type of home bike fitness setup where the user would attach an ipad to the front of the bike and have it running some type of road mapping program which gives the impression that the user is cycling on that road. The ipad could be loaded with multiple road and terrain types which the user could load up and see their progress on the ipad.
Something like that would work extremely well for Apple.
Something like that would work extremely well for Apple.
Because Peloton products killed people and the other brands didn’t. If other brands killed too then they also need to be recalled.It's not a design flaw which is why they initially resisted the recall. Other companies have been using the same design for decades. If Peloton was not a target, why have other manufacturers, using the same design, not been included in the recall?
I do think that Peloton is overpriced, their bikes are what? 2500 or so? you can get similar quality bikes for less than 1000, so 1500 for the screen? But, for Apple, they could turn this long-term into a better business and use an iPad vs a screen that does nothing but fitness. and further integration with watch, phone etc ...
And, Apple products are overpriced ... yet, people are loving them ... I think this could be a better investment vs streaming imho
And, Apple products are overpriced ... yet, people are loving them ... I think this could be a better investment vs streaming imho
LOL, I got a kick out of the "armchair CEO" comment; there has long been a very strong inverse relationship on Macrumors between members' business acumen and the confidence/certainty with which they voice their opinions. Dunning-Kruger at work, I suppose.
I agree that there are superficial similarities in the respective business models, but I believe there are important differences that would make Peloton a no-go for Apple. Chief among these is that Peloton's business model, as sleek and novel as it was when it was launched, is largely unprotected. Their hardware is very nice, but I'm not aware that it contains very much proprietary IP and cheaper alternatives abound. Their "software" -- the exclusive streaming content -- is of high quality but fairly easily replicated, as Apple Fitness+ and many others have shown. Today, I see at least 2-3 competitors doing primetime TV advertising of nearly identical services (NordicTrack, Bowflex, etc.). Apple would need to find a way to create a closed ecosystem around Peloton's offering, leveraging their other hardware and services, that would block competition, but I don't see an obvious way for them to do this. I doubt that tight integration with Fitness+ and Apple Watch would be enough.