The Mirror’s hardware sales will expire in 2023, so if you’re thinking about purchasing this smart home fitness device, here’s what you should know.
If you enjoy exercising, you might be thinking about getting a fitness mirror. These gadgets allow you to interact with a touchscreen interface while also allowing you to view yourself while exercising. The prominent athletic clothing company Lululemon has its own version of this gadget, which is simply called Mirror.
The business made the decision in September 2023 to discontinue sales of the device in the ensuing months and focus solely on apparel and accessories. How does this affect Lululemon customers, and should you still think about purchasing a Mirror?
What Is a Lululemon Mirror?
Fitness mirrors are rather specialized, but home exercise equipment is hugely popular. Additionally, many companies go beyond the typical treadmill and bench press.
Brands like Peloton that offer training equipment along with online courses led by qualified fitness instructors are probably familiar to you.With the help of a fitness mirror, you can track your workouts, examine your posture, and get immediate feedback on how you’re doing. Users of The Lululemon Mirror have access to more than 10,000 exercise classes. Even live exercise courses led by qualified trainers are included in this.
Mirror, however, was not created by Lululemon. In fact, in 2020 Lululemon paid $500 million to acquire Mirror, a fitness startup at the time. Mirror had already developed the hardware for their interactive home workouts that allows users to see themselves. However, the product might be pushed into the fitness mainstream with Lululemon’s acquisition.
The Mirror operated for five years, but as the COVID-19 epidemic started to diminish and people could once again go to the gym or exercise outside, making a profit with the high up-front cost and monthly charge proved difficult.
This conflict led Lululemon to decide to collaborate with Peloton on content. The two businesses have joined forces, and Peloton is now providing Mirror users with its own hub of exercise material. Throughout this transition, the Mirror Studio app will be gradually discontinued.
For many home fitness manufacturers, the situation has remained the same. For instance, Peloton had several rounds of layoffs in 2022 that affected thousands of workers. One round of layoffs resulted in a 12 percent reduction in Peloton’s employment.
Should You Buy the Lululemon Mirror?
The Lululemon Mirror is an expensive purchase at $1,500 and a $39 monthly subscription fee. Knowing whether you really require one of these devices is crucial for this reason. But there are other factors to think about in addition to features and cost.
Once hardware sales stop, the Lululemon Mirror’s accessibility will also suffer significantly. Once the supply runs out, you won’t be able to purchase new Mirror devices from merchants, however there may be options to purchase used Mirror devices. If demand is high, resale prices might be much higher than the original cost.
To put it briefly, purchasing the Lululemon Mirror in 2023 is probably not a wise idea. It seems quite pointless to pick up a Mirror at this point given the company’s intention to remove the Mirror from online retailers and stop allowing new users access to its smartphone fitness program at the end of the year.
However, if you’re still considering purchasing a Lululemon Mirror, keep in mind that access to the Studio app will start to be restricted to new users at the beginning of November 2023, so you won’t have much time to acquire your Mirror and sign up.
Don’t worry if you already own a Lululemon Mirror. If you’ve already created an account, you’ll be able to access the app even after new users aren’t allowed to. If you recently purchased a Lululemon Mirror but weren’t aware of this significant change, the brand still accepts returns within 30 days.
Lululemon Mirror Alternatives
There are some excellent alternatives you can take into consideration if you’re still seeking for a fitness mirror but don’t want to use the Lululemon Mirror.
1. FORME Studio
Similar to the Lululemon Mirror, the FORME Studio fitness mirror enables you to participate in interactive workouts, get feedback, and monitor your posture. When you sign up, a personal trainer will be assigned to you who will be chosen based on your preferences and goals. This individualized method gives a human touch to a remote encounter and is perfect for people who are unsure of what kind of workouts are best for them.
In addition to offering mindfulness sessions, the FORME Studio also provides post-workout relaxation and cooling-down activities. It’s crucial to remember that this would be a highly expensive buy. The device itself costs $2,495 and a hefty $149 per month for membership (albeit your first month will just cost $49).
Additionally, unlike other fitness mirrors, you cannot exercise while listening to your favorite music. The FORME Studio might not be for you if you need your own music to relax. The FORME Lift, a fitness mirror with a weight extension, may be more appealing to you if weight training is more important to you than cardio.
2. Tonal
Tonal is yet another stylish fitness mirror that is excellent for weightlifting in particular. You can tone up utilizing the weight extension on the mirror, which also gives you access to cardio exercises and massage treatments (using a Theragun gadget). There are over 1,000 classes available overall through the Tonal mirror, so you won’t be lacking in options.
The Tonal mirror costs $3,495 and includes a $59.95 monthly membership fee for workout access. Purchasing Tonal’s smart accessories will also incur an extra fee. If you want to take full advantage of the Tonal mirror’s features, you’ll need to spend a lot of money on the smart accessories bundle, which costs an additional $495.
The Lululemon Mirror May Soon Be a Thing of the Past
Even while you can still use the Lululemon Mirror if you already have one, it’s best to hold off on getting one for yourself right now. You’re better off choosing a smart mirror that is still fully functioning for both new and existing clients given the gradual phasing out of the Mirror and accompanying Studio app.