Health and fitness apps usage has grown by more than 330% over the last three years, according to a 2017 research by Flurry Analytics, which found that 96% of people stay loyal to their apps and more than 75% of active users open their digital helper at least two times a week.
The study also reports that highest growth in the category is coming from studio and fitness content apps. Which explains not only the rise in the number of health and wellness startups, but also the investment in training apps from sportswear giants such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour.
Asics is the latest player entering the space. The brand has launched a new subscription-based fitness app, featuring a variety of workouts (outdoor running, indoor cycling, elliptical, strength training and treadmill fusion) created by professional personal trainers. Asics Studio, which is focused on audio-led coaching and motivation, offers three types of subscription packages: monthly ($9.99), quarterly ($23.99) and yearly ($95.99) and include unlimited workouts.
Asics Studio will become the latest addition to OneAsics – the company’s membership program for the entire Asics family (ASICS, ASICS Tiger, Onitsuka Tiger and Haglofs), where users can access special gear, services, events and expertise such as free shipping, access to Runkeeper Go subscriptions and free 90-day shoe returns even after you run in them.
“Asics has been the leading brand in the running category. Part of the acquisition of Runkeeper in 2016 was to cement that position further. It is now leveraging that strength and expertise to expand into a wider fitness arena beyond running. It is also part of Asics' effort for expanding into not only the wider Fitness category but also the Fitness as a Service category,” Rei Inamoto, cofounder of Inamoto & Co (the company behind the creation of the app), said to INTERLACED.
So what makes Asics Studio better than what’s already out there? According to Inamoto, the app provides a better user experience and replicates the community atmosphere of being in a studio. “There are multiple video-based training apps out there. While it's pretty common, it's actually a cumbersome experience because you have to put your phone at angles you can see the screen, etc. Based on this insight, Asics decided to create an audio-first workout tool. By relying mainly on audio, it frees the user from having to watch the screen to train.”
It’s early days to tell how the app will perform compared to its counterparts but the signs are positive. Since its release in the US just before Christmas, Asics Studio has earned over 4-star reviews and was recently featured as “App of the Day” in the Apple App Store.
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