Apple, Gyms Work It Out

Apple Fitness+ might not be the connected home fitness disruptor it was thought to be.

The new offering, which launched this week, isn’t designed to replace gyms. In fact, Apple appears to be embracing gyms: 

• Life Time will offer a free Fitness+ subscription to its nearly 2 million members later this month
• Apple executives expect users to take Fitness+ to gyms for workouts that require equipment they don’t have at home

“Apple Fitness Plus brings additional best-in-class content and variety to the ever-growing digital and omnichannel wellness programs, services and content we provide our members,”  Life Time Founder, Chairman and CEO Bahram Akradi said in a statement. 

Apple may see an opening for more gym collaborations that aren’t attractive to Peloton, Tonal and Lululemon-owned Mirror, whose equipment and services are viewed as head-to-head competitors with brick and mortar fitness facilities.

The company’s online Fitness+ page includes links to purchase workout equipment from brands like Life Style, Rogue and TechnoGym.

Fitness+ costs $9.99, but Apple is currently offering up to a 90-day free trial for some users.

In March, Peloton extended its free 30-day digital membership trial to 90 days — it’s seen paid subscriptions grow 382% year-over-year, according to the company’s last quarterly statement released in November.