Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Plans to Launch Fitness Subscription Service
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Could be that the first year is free with a new device and you pay after that. That seems to be the way Apple rolls. I am ok with that. I told myself I would never use Apple Music, tried it for a bit, love it.
OP is using some generic bike with the Peleton app.
[automerge]1597326354[/automerge]
I’d guess that this service comes in at $9.99 and will save you a few bucks.
One benefit of Apple having more services is it keeps their overall margins higher, which allows them to keep lower hardware margins or even reduce them.
“In the fiscal year 2019, Apple's services business posted gross margins of 63.7%, approaching double the 32.2% gross margin of the company's product sector.” (https://www.investopedia.com/apple-s-5-most-profitable-lines-of-business-4684130)
Apple’s gross margins have been stable over the past 6 years (https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/AAPL/apple/profit-margins). With increasing services revenue this means hardware margins are declining — not by a lot but enough to continue to reduce the so-called Apple tax on hardware.
In short, more services from Apple means Apple can have lower cost hardware options and still maintain their targeted margins (Apple also makes up hardware margins on their generally overpriced upgrades).
“In the fiscal year 2019, Apple's services business posted gross margins of 63.7%, approaching double the 32.2% gross margin of the company's product sector.” (https://www.investopedia.com/apple-s-5-most-profitable-lines-of-business-4684130)
Apple’s gross margins have been stable over the past 6 years (https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/AAPL/apple/profit-margins). With increasing services revenue this means hardware margins are declining — not by a lot but enough to continue to reduce the so-called Apple tax on hardware.
In short, more services from Apple means Apple can have lower cost hardware options and still maintain their targeted margins (Apple also makes up hardware margins on their generally overpriced upgrades).
Does that mean that the Health app will now plague me with "buy a subscription" like News(+) does?
Yes there is a lot of free workout content out there but I bet Apple curates all of them, muxh like Apple TV does.
There are a bunch of Run with Meg, or Demi Bagby type trainers that simply don’t get the exposure.
PS - I still think Apple has a leg up with their music content and royalty agreements. Most of these ‘free’ workout apps don’t have music because they don’t have the rights.
There are a bunch of Run with Meg, or Demi Bagby type trainers that simply don’t get the exposure.
PS - I still think Apple has a leg up with their music content and royalty agreements. Most of these ‘free’ workout apps don’t have music because they don’t have the rights.
Could we get all the subscription base services at $12.99, pretty please? I can't keep us with it...
It depends on how much it is. However Samsung announced something similar at their event and they didn’t mention anything about paying for it.
Apple has a ton of users thanks to the iphone, so it makes sense now to continue building up its formidable ecosystem, in the form of accessories and services.
Sales of the Apple Watch has also been growing at an impressive rate, and with a fitness tracker on your wrist, it’s a natural extension to launch a service which leverages on being able to access that activity data.
I also concur with the above poster that high-margin services revenue is what will allow Apple to sell their hardware at lower margins. Which again would be to the benefit of consumers.
Sales of the Apple Watch has also been growing at an impressive rate, and with a fitness tracker on your wrist, it’s a natural extension to launch a service which leverages on being able to access that activity data.
I also concur with the above poster that high-margin services revenue is what will allow Apple to sell their hardware at lower margins. Which again would be to the benefit of consumers.
Watch Apple start denying other exercise Apps like they did with Microsoft xCloud and Xbox Game Pass.
This "new" Fitness app could just be the renaming of the Activity app they mentioned in the WWDC Keynote.
1st-gen Apple Watch anyone? Especially when introduced the 18 karat gold Apple Watch Edition? That was something!
If it is subscription based they should offer discounts based on the number of calories you burn as an incentive.
Yep, the original Apple Watch included a number of trial balloons (looking at you, Digital Touch). That’s why I said, “doesn’t do many trial balloons”, and not “doesn’t do any trial balloons”. I also remember Steve standing on stage introducing “iPod Socks”, and you could tell from his tone that it was something he let the marketing people talk him into.
More like building on an existing platform that many millions of people have purchased and embraced; ie Apple Watch.
A most brilliant idea! I'll check out the free trial period.
Last edited:
