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Peloton Turning to Apple Suppliers After Failing to Find a Buyer
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I love my Peloton Bike. It’s helped me get physically fit (which has also significantly improved my mental state), on my schedule, without injury which is key given my age (55). For more than a year, I was riding 6 days a week, but this year with going back to the office for work, I’ve cut it down to every other day. It’s been a good value, compared to a gym membership, and my wife and kids (when they’re around) can ride it too, just for the cost of a pair of biking shoes. Peloton should absolutely be looking for production partners, following Apple’s lead in developing their own products and having other companies handle the manufacturing.
Love Peloton
Apple has nothing on them, the experience is of a much higher quality
But the business seems unsustainable
Apple has nothing on them, the experience is of a much higher quality
But the business seems unsustainable
The pioneer of video streaming is Youtube, not Netflix.
The pioneer of music streaming is Spotify.
The pioneer of consumer electronics going into content is Sony.
The pioneer of sports focused equipment is Garmin, not fitbit (and Apple has nothing on Garmin’s ecosystem when it comes to sports)
The pioneer of smartphones is Apple, not Blackberry
And, by the way, both Columbus and Pizarro were made Grandees of Spain, so excuse me but you made up that saying because it doesn’t make any sense. The first mover advantage is a very well known asset.
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My son has a Peloton and he loves his. But it's sad to see a premier manufacturer with these financial issues. Fitbit hit it big a while back, I just bought a new fitbit (and sorry they are #2 today), but for what Apple is doing, they are crushing it.
I wouldn't call Apple the "pioneer" of smartphones as smartphones had been around before the iPhone.
I guess that depends on your perspective.
If you ask me there are basic comms phones, text+Calls (motorola/nokia), rich comms phones, text+calls+email+messaging (blackberry), and smartphones (pocketable full computers with cellular connection)
There may be some precarious attempt at creating a previous pocketable full computer, but without the ability to install important third party apps I wouldn’t call it full computer.
Might want to look at the history of Polar and Suunto devices before Garmin releases the first Forerunners.
In the early smartphone category (per your definition) you had Motorola Q, Blackberry 8700 series, Handspring/Palm Treo, and even (to a lesser extent) Nokia Symbian based devices.
Apple, as with other companies will wait until Pelton goes bust and then pick at it's carcus for the juicy bits, getting it all on the cheap. Apple could purchase the companies IP and incorparate it into their Fitness+.
The reason I say this because anyone thinking of buying the company could be looking at how bad the companies business model is and thus think it will cost to much to out it right and therefore instead of spending to put it right, wait till the company goes bust, pick out the bits other companies want and throw away the rest. This kind of thing happens all the time in the business world, I can see it happening to Pelton.
The reason I say this because anyone thinking of buying the company could be looking at how bad the companies business model is and thus think it will cost to much to out it right and therefore instead of spending to put it right, wait till the company goes bust, pick out the bits other companies want and throw away the rest. This kind of thing happens all the time in the business world, I can see it happening to Pelton.
A smartphone has typically been defined simply as a device that has telephony and computer/network capabilities. Many have considered 1994's IBM Simon to have been the first smartphone although others like Palm/Handspring and BlackBerry (RIM), which launched smartphones in the early 2000s, seem to be more often credited as smartphone pioneers. Anyway, all of this (and more) was before the iPhone.
The pioneer of getting video and tvshow without going through cable or movie store s netflix
The pioneer of online music is itunes, yet spotify is bigger
Sony got slaughtered in most of their initial market
The pioneer of sports watch for Linda in kentucky is fitbit not garmin.
The pioneer of smartphone of usable internet is blackberry not apple
Agree. I see people here railing on about how awful Peloton is, despite not owning one. I absolutely love mine.
If you’re first to market, you need to continue to innovate before competition copies and catches up.
Sony was the first ebook reader. Nook took over.
Sony was the first with mobile audio (Walkman) but got lapped by every MP3 player out there, and all of that was usurped by iPod
Not only do you need the innovation, but you also need the internal support. Blockbuster had a steaming platform ready to go but major shareholders thought it would ruin their main business…renting physical copies.
The Kodak example doesn’t even need to be brought up.
Not sure how any of this applies to a company that focused their efforts on providing quality hardware at premium prices with an amazing amount of content. Peloton has simply never had an identity. They tried to be everything to everyone and now they are realizing the woke crowd they are targeting doesn’t want to afford a premium piece of workout equipment.
Maybe it’s because of users like me that use ‘dumb’ stationary bikes and rowers combined with an Apple Watch and an iPad with Fitness+?
Do people seriously want a treadmill with an iPad implanted into it? The small convenience factor doesn’t seem like it could ever justify the cost.
I mean, if Apple won’t even release a TV with an AppleTV integrated into it then I highly doubt they’re going to get into sports equipment.
They seem pretty intent on keeping their product lineup small and focused. Both as a consumer and shareholder, I’m quite happy with their decision.
So what is Apple buying then? Maybe I can see featured Peloton classes on Fitness+, but Apple is already expanding their own classes, with their own production team. I see no benefit in this partnership. And I know Apple doesn’t want to make its own fitness products.
A lot of people in this thread with thoughts on Peloton, that really know nothing about it.
Even if they were to go defunct, the bike is not useless. I’m sure someone would mod the software to add functionality not to mention the mods already available for things like Zwift integration.
Even if they were to go defunct, the bike is not useless. I’m sure someone would mod the software to add functionality not to mention the mods already available for things like Zwift integration.
THIS exactly. The subscription should be way less expensive for owners of the equipment, otherwise it's very hard to justify the same price points they have had when things like Fitness+ work with any equipment out there and a base model Apple Watch (or with ios16, just a phone).
I have a Peloton and love it, just passed 900 rides and 950+ classes. The problem, at least to me, is at some point you are going to saturate the market. Unless you are either updating your product with "must have" features or coming up with new products, your hardware sales will flat line. Heck they even advertised apple watch integration as an exclusive feature for the new bikes, only to roll that out for their older models.
If you think that Peloton is 'pricey', you haven't looked at the other devices out there.
Smart Bikes
Wahoo Kickr Bike: $3,800
Garmin/Tacx Smart Bike: $3,200
WattBike: ~$2,975
And that doesn't include the other ways to get to ride indoors using a smart trainer.
Smart Trainers
Tacx Neo 2T: $1,400
Wahoo Kickr: #1,200
And that doesn't include a bike and cassette needed for the last two, and fans, mats, etc for both types. The Peloton is a relatively inexpensive way to get to ride indoors, and this is just obviously looking at just riding. Yes their subscription could be seen as expensive, and yet for both smart bikes and smart trainers, a subscription is required on top of the cost, just to use them. I have two subscriptions I pay for, one monthly. It's 'easier' to ride the couch, it's 'cheaper in the short run' to ride that couch. But not in the long run...
Peloton was the first to get it right. It's not what they make, it was the management. They didn't take into account the changes in the economy and society, and drove off the cliff, hitting the accelerator instead of the brakes.
Just got a bike+, and you know what. I love it.
Sorry I do miss the gym, but my schedule doesn’t allow me time to go. It’s easier to do my spin in the morning and go to work.
Seriously if people are improving their health responsibly, all the kudos to you.
Sorry I do miss the gym, but my schedule doesn’t allow me time to go. It’s easier to do my spin in the morning and go to work.
Seriously if people are improving their health responsibly, all the kudos to you.
They came out with the commercial model, but the penetration hasn't been very deep. Too many hotels and such just use the residential model which isn't really made for constant use, but part of the problem, at least in the beginning, was their software. It wasn't written to support different users very easily. The idea was the buyer is the one using it. Swapping/adding accounts was required, and the account had to be removed. Now, it's gotten better, easier to use 'general access' bikes. The other thing is the quality of the ride, meaning measuring the force riding, and they fixed that in the latest bike.
Peloton is a great product. It has helped hundreds of thousands of people achieve a better life. There is a cost for that that some people can't meet. Peloton has 2 levels of subscription. But there are now some alternatives. Heck, before the Peloton, I rode a dumb spin bike for hours and wrote down what I did on a notepad. I watched movies to ease the boredom. It worked, but the Peloton was so much more enticing, enjoyable. I hope Peloton doesn't die. It really is a great product. They need to fix the problems, and they need to save themselves somehow. I would hate for some third rate junk health ripoff joint to buy Peloton. It would be a disaster, and kill them and their users equipment.