Everyone loves to listen to music while working out. And
everyone loves to gear there music to the intensity of there
workout. We have all seen the treadmills / recumbent bikes
with the video screens. Imagine a video screen that displays
your workout statistics with an iTunes window floating on
top. The machine manufacturer or the gym would pay a fee to
Apple to license the entire iTunes library for the machine.
Basically, for the period of time that you are working out,
you have full access to the iTunes library. In other words,
while your working osut you could listen to ANYTHING you
want - the new Killers album, the new Beck single -- If you
like it you can buy it when you get home.
The key
features of the software would be:
1. licensing of the
full iTunes library (without ability to download or copy
songs.
2. ability to select songs randomly by
intensity, physical attributes of the person working out,
such as age, athletic condition, etc. (similar to pandora
only the software would consider both the characteristics of
the band and the characteristics of the listener.
3. the
iTunes software would also be matched to the workout
program. (i.e. more intense music when going up hills, less
intense in the cool down or slow intervals.)
Why
would apple or the music companies license the entire
library? Because it would dramatically increase sales and
promote health. Since you only have access to the full
library while you are actually working out, an individual
will only have that full access a 20 to 30 mins every couple
of days (on average.) In all likelihood they will listen to
music they do not own or will listen to new releases. When
they are done working out, they will want to take the music
with them, realize they can't, and purchase the music when
they get home.
I think a real mock run of this
could run at a gym on a test basis to see if people will
increase their purchasing.
The technology is
already their, there is the software the runs on the work
out equipment, there are already automatice music selection
tools (like pandora or The Filter, and there is iTunes)
With some modification, these could all be put together.
Feasibility- all the parts are their. Its just
waiting to happen.
Target Market - everyone. The
best start might be High School PE classes. Imagine how many
overweight kids would jump on a treadmill if it meant they
could have full access to the iTunes library while they were
working out.
Contracts with every High school,
college , and every private gym would be the ultimate goal.
Possibly a home model down the road.
