Tempo Move is a $400 home gym that leans on clever iPhone tech

Tempo is adding a far more affordable guided exercise system to its line-up, with the Tempo Move promising personalized fitness training at a fraction of the price of the original Tempo Studio. Launched in 2020, Tempo Studio resembles a high-tech weights cabinet, with 3D tracking sensors walking users through training routines shown on its big, integrated display.

With that 42-inch display and custom training programs, Tempo explained, users could get advice on their weightlifting form, make suggestions for improvements in workouts, and show live and pre-recorded classes. Problem was, in addition to requiring dedicated floor space, Tempo Studio also clocked in at around $2,500.

Tempo Move, in contrast, taps different hardware people might already have to trim the investment. It uses the front-facing TrueDepth camera on recent iPhone models – and will, Tempo says, eventually tap the LiDAR scanner too – to create a 3D map of both the user and their environment. A Tempo Core unit links that and a regular TV, the latter being used to show the class.

There's also a storage unit for the 50 pounds of weight plates and dumbbells that come with the system. A dock on top takes the iPhone, positioning it for the correct angle for workout tracking, but can be removed for use when traveling. You'll need a 6 x 6 foot area in front of the TV, which could be a tight fit depending on the size of your hotel room. Finally, an HDMI cable links the Core to the TV.

Dumbbell workouts will be supported initially, with barbell and kettlebell classes coming next year. The "smart weights" are tracked by the 3D Tempo Vision system, and then form feedback is offered up on the TV screen.

In addition to strength classes, there are also yoga, HIIT, boxing, mobility, and meditation sessions available. They vary between 5 and 45 minutes in length, and up to six people can have a Tempo account on the same subscription (versus an unlimited number with a Tempo Studio).

Digitalized fitness has become a big deal over the past few years, not least because of the impact of the pandemic pushing people out of gyms and organized fitness classes, and leaving them trying to replicate that experience at home. Though Peloton is arguably the best-known, with its spinning bikes and treadmills, rivals focusing on weightlifting, rowing, and other exercise types have similarly sprung up, generally combining reasonably-expensive hardware with an ongoing subscription fee.

The biggest improvement here, then, is price. Tempo Move will be $495, with launch pricing of $395, and free shipping. It's designed to be self-installed, and of course there's the $39/month subscription fee on top of that. Tempo will also offer financing, from $33 per month; a Tempo Studio, in contrast, would be from $69 per month. It'll ship from early December, with preorders open now.