Peloton on Tuesday unveiled its first connected strength product, the Guide.
Priced at $495, the artificial intelligence-enabled Guide is Peloton's most affordable hardware product yet. It looks like a small webcam that sits atop your media console and connects to your TV. The Guide uses machine learning and smart camera technology to track your movements and help you strength train smarter and safer at home. It doesn't require special strength training equipment; you can use your own weights and accessories.
As you work out with the Guide, you'll see your own image on screen, alongside the instructor, to compare your form in real time. The device keeps track of which muscle groups you worked and recommends classes accordingly, to help you round out your training. So if you work your upper body today, for instance, it might recommend a lower body-focused session tomorrow.
The Guide comes with a heart rate monitor and a remote control. It's also voice activated, so you can wake it up, start a class, stop, rewind, or fast forward without using your hands. When you're not using it, you can put the Guide to sleep, slide a cover over the camera, and turn off the microphone using a physical switch for privacy.
The movement tracking feature will be available on "hundreds" of strength classes at launch, Peloton says. The company plans to add new movements and class types on a regular basis. Voice support will initially be limited to the US, Canada, and the UK, with additional markets to come.
It's worth mentioning that the Peloton Guide looks similar to another smart home strength training product launching soon, the $395 Tempo Move. The Move promises to deliver an experience like the $2,495 Tempo Studio at a fraction of the price by working with your phone and television. It suggests the appropriate weight you should be lifting for each move, counts your reps, and offer real-time form feedback to keep you honest and safe.
Fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the smart home gym equipment market shows no signs of slowing down. Peloton also recently launched a new treadmill, the Tread, following months of delays. The $2,495 smart treadmill earned 4.5 stars and our Editors' Choice award for its compact design, high-quality build, new safety features, and outstanding class selection.
The Peloton Guide is slated for release in the US and Canada in early 2022, with availability in the UK, Australia and Germany to follow.
To help make the cost more manageable, Peloton is offering financing options starting at $21 for 24 months. On top of the hardware cost, it will require a $12.99 monthly Guide membership, unless you already have a Peloton class subscription. The Guide membership lets you create up to five accounts per household, so everyone's stats are kept separate. Existing Peloton All Access and App subscribers can upgrade their membership to include the Guide at no extra cost.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen the interest in our strength content explode,” Tom Cortese, Peloton’s co-founder and chief product officer, said in a statement. “Peloton Guide demystifies strength training to create a more engaging experience that will help members stay motivated. This is just the beginning for Peloton strength. Guide will keep getting smarter so it can grow stronger alongside our members.”
We plan to get our hands on the Guide and review it as soon as possible, so stay tuned for more information.