It hasn't been the healthiest week for me in the past. The team dinners at the show are where the habit of intermittent intermittent fasts is found, as well as the mention of Matt's near religious devotion to a Mexican place named Tacos & Beer.
In my defense, I will say that there has never been a year that I have not taken a step count. The Las Vegas Convention Center has a hall that can do that. My steps have been suffering this year, as I was forced to attend the show virtually, amid omicron-related concerns.
I wondered if I should be back at the gym. I am sure I am not alone in that. This epidemic is far from over, even though companies like Peloton saw regression as gyms and the like re-opened late last year. Even though it is too cold to work out outside in many parts of the country, the idea of being in a confined room with a bunch of other heavy breathers seems less than ideal.
Companies are replacing the gym at the show.
The last few years have proven a sea change for the world of home fitness, but it is hard to project the longevity of these sorts of trends. I have spoken with many people who don't want to go back to the gym after all of this is over. That is not a symptom of the epidemic, but a sign that companies like Peloton and Mirror were gaining traction before we knew what a novel coronaviruses was.
It pours with this stuff when it rains. My inbox has been filled with home fitness services for the past couple of years. It is clear that as many companies as possible are looking to take advantage of this moment, and between Peloton's earnings and transactions like Lululemon's acquisition of Mirror, how can they blame them? We certainly saw an increase at last year's all-virtualCES, but in the year of 2022, they are impossible to avoid.
Only a few will survive in this category. The fitness brand joined a long list of companies that decided not to attend the event. There were many products that were more than willing to fill that void.
The image is from the LG.
The offering from the company was more conceptual than practical. The stationary bike was designed to show how the curved monitor technology could be used in home fitness. Given the size of the product, it seemed like a pretty solid indictment of itself, given that space and price are at a premium for many looking to outfit their homes with exercise equipment.
I was surprised we didn't get more attempts to jam the term "metaverse" into this year's home fitness pitches. There is a prize for a virtual reality fitness app. The dawn of the metaverse points to a demand for a deeper sense of connection, according to co-founder and CEO Jeff Morin. Virtual reality workouts connect people in a way that is more meaningful than a 2D screen on a phone or computer. Anyone can work out anywhere in the world with the best trainers, tracks and fitness technology with just a virtual reality headset.
Four times in the release, the word "meta" is mentioned. This is a title for the Quest 2 headset and it seems to be used interchangeably with the term "VR." On March 3, the liteboxer virtual reality will be available in the quest store for $19 a month.
The Echelon EX-8s Connect Bike was underpriced by $2,399, which was the same price as the high-end Bike+. That is a high price tag for a company that makes products for Walmart. That price gets you a curved 24 inch display and a lightshow for the wheels. It will arrive later this month.
WonderciseWondercise is a software-first solution. The company wants to offer a platform that will allow remote exercise buffs to connect and break through some of the isolation that comes from moving from the gym to the home. The company has press material.
The fun atmosphere in sessions is created by the live leaderboard, which displays scores based on an individual's technique. Colorful on-screen power bars and profiles were designed to make the experience feel like a game, adding a competitive aspect to workouts. Wondercise is focused on bringing the Internet of Things to the fitness industry so everyone can get the performance data they need wherever they work out.
Wondercise will be competing directly with Apple and other big names in the software-first category, as the home equipment category is getting crowded.
One of the companies that represented home rowers was Hydrow. It is a category that is prime for some real growth. Rowers burn fewer calories than bikes. Hydrow is the big name in the space, but it is rumored that Peloton is getting into the rowing machine game.
