CES 2024: Companies Focus on At-Home Fitness

The year marking the first completely online CES event also highlights the rise of at-home fitness solutions. Over the last year, most individuals have experienced significant changes to their exercise habits – personally, my Apple Watch data reveals noticeable gaps in activity during March and April.

This shift has proven beneficial for numerous fitness companies. Lululemon, for instance, announced its intention to purchase Mirror for $500 million in June, while Tonal observed a sevenfold increase in yearly sales. In December, Apple introduced Fitness+, a new on-demand service created to compete with companies like Peloton.

There's a growing sense that we are witnessing a rapid expansion of streaming-style services within the fitness sector. This is a substantial industry, and it’s likely that exercise routines won’t fully revert to pre-pandemic norms. However, unlike the market for film and television, it seems improbable that individuals will maintain subscriptions to multiple services simultaneously.

Samsung is arguably the most prominent new entrant in this market, as showcased at CES. The technology company unveiled Smart Trainer, an addition to its expanding collection of fitness applications. This system is specifically designed for Samsung Smart TVs, utilizing a webcam to monitor exercises. In this regard, it appears to offer more detailed tracking than Apple’s Watch-based system, which relies on an accelerometer and heart-rate monitor for data.

Ultrahuman is another significant fitness video platform debuting this week. The company recently secured $8 million in funding. Similar to Fitness+, its biometric tracking is centered around the Apple Watch, displaying metrics such as heart rate and calorie expenditure. The service positions itself as a “masterclass” dedicated to fitness.

The platform features collaborations with prominent athletes and personalities, including Crossfit champion Kara Saunders, fitness influencer Amanda Cerny, coach Johannes Bartl, hybrid athlete and coach Kris Gethin, and MindSize CEO Christian Straka, among others. The app, available on both iOS and Android, also incorporates biofeedback through its Apple Watch integration to enhance the effectiveness of both meditation and workouts. In contrast to Calm and Headspace’s focus on celebrity endorsements, Ultrahuman employs a technology-driven approach to improve user experience and achieve lasting results.

These services distinguish themselves from options like Mirror, Peloton, and recent offerings from NordicTrack by eliminating the need for bulky exercise equipment, thereby reducing the initial investment (although Samsung’s solution does require a large, high-end television). As people become more comfortable returning to gyms, demand for these services may decrease, which will inevitably reshape the industry.

However, for many, having discovered the convenience of home fitness, the appeal of a traditional gym membership may diminish.