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Maybe Peloton is its own worst enemy

Maybe Peloton is its own worst enemy

For years — through its pandemic-fueled highs and its post-quarantine malaise — Peloton has held its earnings calls at a bright and bushy 8:30AM ET. Not yesterday. Instead, the company broke different news first thing in the morning: it issued yet another recall for 833,000 of its original Bike Plus units, before posting its Q1 2026 results after the markets closed at 4 o’clock.

Peloton CEO Peter Stern addressed the recall right away during the company’s earnings call, stating the facts — that there were only three reports of breakages and two injuries, plus the company was offering a free replacement seat. Later, when asked in an Q&A with analysts, Stern said that the recall’s impact “is expected to be immaterial and is reflected in our full-year guidance.”

In fairness, the scale of this one is smaller than the company’s first seat post recall in 2023, which affected over 2 million original Peloton Bikes with 35 reports of breakages and 13 injuries. But nevertheless, it still cast a shadow over what was otherwise a positive earnings call for the company. Peloton surprised investors by beating expectations with a second consecutive profitable quarter and a bullish forecast for the holiday season. Shares closed up 14 percent today.

But that’s sort of Peloton’s thing. It does something promising — good, even. And then Mr. Big dies. Maybe it launches an insensitive holiday commercial. Prices get hiked and its diehard fans feel nickel and dimed. It announces yet another recall. Or another round of layoffs after vowing layoffs were done. Either way, the Peloton story has become a constant push-pull between progress and the company shooting itself in the foot.

All of this makes it hard to say what Peloton’s future looks like. On the one hand, executives seem confident that the recent ambitious hardware refresh and foray into AI-powered fitness features is going to help the company pedal its way back to the glory days. (If they weren’t, it’d be even more audacious to price the Tread Plus at close to $7,000.) On the other hand, Peloton fans seem divided.

The new products, announced on October 1, triggered intense emotions in subreddits and the official Peloton Facebook group. Many long-time users are irked that there’s no trade-in program or upgrade kits for the bike’s new display. It feels doubly egregious when the new hardware is essentially the same machine with a new tablet affixed to it. You don’t have to dig too deep for the Peloton defenders, but it’s hard to categorize the announcement as a “solid win” within the community. And if that’s how the long-time diehards feel, where exactly is Peloton getting its confidence from?

The longer trend has been a slow and gradual trek toward recovery. Since former CEO John Foley stepped down, there’s been exponentially fewer gaffes, petulant patent fights, and overall drama. One could argue that it took subsequent CEO Barry McCarthy’s roughly two-year reign (and a baffling ship metaphor) to staunch the bleeding. Stern, the current CEO, has signaled that his strategy is to focus on restoring profitability, improving cash flow, and zeroing in on efficiency so the beleaguered company can think about growth again.

It’s frankly boring. Whereas McCarthy — like his predecessor Foley — could be counted on to say something out of pocket here and there, Stern has been about as enthusiastically bland as a CEO can be. (He ended yesterday’s call with a corny joke about a veritable buffet” of new content for Thanksgiving.) Perhaps that’s what Peloton has needed all along: to have adults at the helm so that the company can be boring for once.

Because that’s always been the most baffling part of the Peloton story. The company has consistently had a winning formula of a good product and a loyal subscriber base. That it fell as fast and hard as it did was, despite the end of pandemic lockdowns, because Peloton couldn’t get out of its own way. Given the timing of yesterday’s recall and earnings call, I don’t think Peloton’s quite ready to fully give up its dramatic flourish just yet. But for fans and investors alike, a day where Peloton headlines don’t automatically induce anxiety would be a relief indeed.

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Back-to-school shopping is already expensive, and this year, tech upgrades aren’t getting any cheaper. Between the ongoing memory crunch (aka RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever.

Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.

Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.

Best phone deal for students

If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for $0 with qualifying plans, with the discount applied through 24 monthly bill credits.

You’ll need a qualifying T-Mobile plan, and depending on the offer, you may need to switch your number to get the full discount. If you cancel service before the credits finish, you’ll be responsible for the remaining device balance.

Best budget phone deal for students

Metro by T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 16e for $99.99 upfront when you bring your existing number to its $50 per month AutoPay plan. After three months of service, you’ll also get a $100 virtual prepaid Mastercard, effectively covering the phone’s cost.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s more affordable iPhone option, giving students access to features like Apple Intelligence support, a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, and a familiar iOS experience without jumping up to the price of a flagship model.

Best tablet deal for students

A tablet can be a pretty handy school sidekick, whether you’re downloading textbooks, taking notes, or giving your laptop a break. Right now, T-Mobile is giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G (128GB) away with a new qualifying tablet line.

The catch? The $289.99 price is covered through 24 monthly bill credits, so you’ll want to stick with the plan for the full promo period to get the complete discount.

Best home internet deal for students

Moving off campus usually means adding one more thing to your budget: WiFi. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down to $35 per month when bundled with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan, saving you $15 per month.

New customers can also get a free month of service plus up to $200 back via virtual prepaid card, making it a great option for students moving into an apartment or anyone who wants simple setup without a long-term price surprise. Eligible plans come with a five-year price guarantee, so your monthly rate won’t change during that period (excluding certain fees and upgrades).

#TMobile #backtoschool #deals #Free #Galaxy #S26 #iPhone">Best T-Mobile back-to-school deals: Free Galaxy S26, iPhone 17, and more
                                                            
Back-to-school shopping is already expensive, and this year, tech upgrades aren’t getting any cheaper. Between the ongoing memory crunch (aka RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever. Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.Best phone deal for students
If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for alt=

RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever.

Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.

Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.

Best phone deal for students

If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for $0 with qualifying plans, with the discount applied through 24 monthly bill credits.

You’ll need a qualifying T-Mobile plan, and depending on the offer, you may need to switch your number to get the full discount. If you cancel service before the credits finish, you’ll be responsible for the remaining device balance.

Best budget phone deal for students

Metro by T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 16e for $99.99 upfront when you bring your existing number to its $50 per month AutoPay plan. After three months of service, you’ll also get a $100 virtual prepaid Mastercard, effectively covering the phone’s cost.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s more affordable iPhone option, giving students access to features like Apple Intelligence support, a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, and a familiar iOS experience without jumping up to the price of a flagship model.

Best tablet deal for students

A tablet can be a pretty handy school sidekick, whether you’re downloading textbooks, taking notes, or giving your laptop a break. Right now, T-Mobile is giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G (128GB) away with a new qualifying tablet line.

The catch? The $289.99 price is covered through 24 monthly bill credits, so you’ll want to stick with the plan for the full promo period to get the complete discount.

Best home internet deal for students

Moving off campus usually means adding one more thing to your budget: WiFi. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down to $35 per month when bundled with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan, saving you $15 per month.

New customers can also get a free month of service plus up to $200 back via virtual prepaid card, making it a great option for students moving into an apartment or anyone who wants simple setup without a long-term price surprise. Eligible plans come with a five-year price guarantee, so your monthly rate won’t change during that period (excluding certain fees and upgrades).

#TMobile #backtoschool #deals #Free #Galaxy #S26 #iPhone">Best T-Mobile back-to-school deals: Free Galaxy S26, iPhone 17, and more

Back-to-school shopping is already expensive, and this year, tech upgrades aren’t getting any cheaper. Between the ongoing memory crunch (aka RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever.

Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.

Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.

Best phone deal for students

If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for $0 with qualifying plans, with the discount applied through 24 monthly bill credits.

You’ll need a qualifying T-Mobile plan, and depending on the offer, you may need to switch your number to get the full discount. If you cancel service before the credits finish, you’ll be responsible for the remaining device balance.

Best budget phone deal for students

Metro by T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 16e for $99.99 upfront when you bring your existing number to its $50 per month AutoPay plan. After three months of service, you’ll also get a $100 virtual prepaid Mastercard, effectively covering the phone’s cost.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s more affordable iPhone option, giving students access to features like Apple Intelligence support, a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, and a familiar iOS experience without jumping up to the price of a flagship model.

Best tablet deal for students

A tablet can be a pretty handy school sidekick, whether you’re downloading textbooks, taking notes, or giving your laptop a break. Right now, T-Mobile is giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G (128GB) away with a new qualifying tablet line.

The catch? The $289.99 price is covered through 24 monthly bill credits, so you’ll want to stick with the plan for the full promo period to get the complete discount.

Best home internet deal for students

Moving off campus usually means adding one more thing to your budget: WiFi. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down to $35 per month when bundled with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan, saving you $15 per month.

New customers can also get a free month of service plus up to $200 back via virtual prepaid card, making it a great option for students moving into an apartment or anyone who wants simple setup without a long-term price surprise. Eligible plans come with a five-year price guarantee, so your monthly rate won’t change during that period (excluding certain fees and upgrades).

#TMobile #backtoschool #deals #Free #Galaxy #S26 #iPhone

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