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I think Peloton kind of misunderstood where their value lay--I think they're a better software company than hardware company and they should shift their focus a

I think Peloton kind of misunderstood where their value lay--I think they're a better software company than hardware company and they should shift their focus accordingly. My mom has a Peloton and I have a Sunny spinbike and I think mine is sturdier and (mostly) better built than hers. But after trying a couple different spin classes, I think Peloton has the best instructors, the best variety of classes, and the best music choices

giglamesh 5y ago
They are a better content company than a software company. As you note, they currently have the best music, instructors and variety of classes. But the software itself has a LOT of room for improvement. For example, the now playing widget is constrained to a tiny little chunk of the view in which artist names or titles are routinely truncated beyond recognition even though most of the screen is essentially empty (a view of a big black studio with an instructor in the center).
- starwind 5y ago
  You know, I thought about that like 10 minutes later. Yeah, I lumped too much together under "software"
- culopatin 5y ago
  I tried a peloton and I thought that for the price it would have things like match the video speed to my cadence. To watch a video of some dude going super slow in France I might as well put a YouTube video on. Also I’m stuck with their music, can’t I connect my Spotify? I don’t understand what’s the Peloton revolution at all other than the gamification of it.
enos_feedler 5y ago
This might all be true, but it's independent of waning demand and overinflated share price that tanked (why CNBC really cares). The real story is even good products can reach saturation. It will probably happen to even iPhone. If you take a step back and look at any business as a growth machine, you have to ask where the growth is going to be. You can say they are a better software company or content company, but that really only extends them into a hyper competitive space. There is an infinite amount of choice with software. It really boils down to the hardware + software combination that gives them unique value in the market. The trouble is a single purpose product with a single purpose subscription is very tough. You need a really strong use case. Kindle unlimited has "reading" as a use case. XBox game pass has "pc gaming" as a use case. These are all pretty substantial use cases. Probably bigger than biking indoors. And yet, even those subs are going to have a long and slow growth curve over their existing bases. EDIT: I mean saturation in the context of pull forward demand due to covid. Not saturation in that people will stop buying. There is always upgrade cycles.
toomuchtodo 5y ago
They are an upscale home fitness brand that happens to make decent products for introverts, time sensitive professionals, and others who can't make it to a gym.
- awb 5y ago
  * With an extra 4’x6’ empty space that they’re happy to dedicate to large gym equipment

giglamesh 5y ago

They are a better content company than a software company. As you note, they currently have the best music, instructors and variety of classes. But the software itself has a LOT of room for improvement. For example, the now playing widget is constrained to a tiny little chunk of the view in which artist names or titles are routinely truncated beyond recognition even though most of the screen is essentially empty (a view of a big black studio with an instructor in the center).

starwind 5y ago
You know, I thought about that like 10 minutes later. Yeah, I lumped too much together under "software"
culopatin 5y ago
I tried a peloton and I thought that for the price it would have things like match the video speed to my cadence. To watch a video of some dude going super slow in France I might as well put a YouTube video on. Also I’m stuck with their music, can’t I connect my Spotify? I don’t understand what’s the Peloton revolution at all other than the gamification of it.

enos_feedler 5y ago

This might all be true, but it's independent of waning demand and overinflated share price that tanked (why CNBC really cares). The real story is even good products can reach saturation. It will probably happen to even iPhone. If you take a step back and look at any business as a growth machine, you have to ask where the growth is going to be. You can say they are a better software company or content company, but that really only extends them into a hyper competitive space. There is an infinite amount of choice with software. It really boils down to the hardware + software combination that gives them unique value in the market. The trouble is a single purpose product with a single purpose subscription is very tough. You need a really strong use case. Kindle unlimited has "reading" as a use case. XBox game pass has "pc gaming" as a use case. These are all pretty substantial use cases. Probably bigger than biking indoors. And yet, even those subs are going to have a long and slow growth curve over their existing bases. EDIT: I mean saturation in the context of pull forward demand due to covid. Not saturation in that people will stop buying. There is always upgrade cycles.

toomuchtodo 5y ago

They are an upscale home fitness brand that happens to make decent products for introverts, time sensitive professionals, and others who can't make it to a gym.

awb 5y ago
* With an extra 4’x6’ empty space that they’re happy to dedicate to large gym equipment