# Connected Social Treadmills The Nautilus 618 Uses RunSocial to Connect Exercisers with Friends By Joey Haar | Published 2016-09-22 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nautilus-618 References: [engadget](https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/21/virtually-race-against-friends-on-nautilus-latest-treadmill/) & [investors.nautilusinc](http://investors.nautilusinc.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=990128) The Nautilus 618 solves two of the biggest drawbacks that were previously inherent in [treadmills](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spacewalk-5l): running inside and running alone. Partnering with fitness technology company RunSocial, the new treadmill lets users run with or compete against friends on [virtual courses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/online-10k-challenge) of their choosing. The Nautilus 618 comes with a high-resolution display that has several beautiful outdoor tracks from around the world built into it. On these tracks, users can incorporate their virtual avatars and watch as they run at the pace set on the treadmill. Further, RunSocial allows exercisers to run with -- or against -- friends. The system keeps track of users' times along various courses, letting people run alongside friends even if they aren't currently at a treadmill, though RunSocial allows for real-time running companionship as well. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.6/10 - Popularity: 80% | Activity: 79% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Virtual Fitness:** The trend of virtual fitness is providing opportunities for innovative technology to enhance at-home workouts, such as connecting users with virtual avatars and allowing them to compete against friends on virtual courses. - **Social Fitness:** The trend of social fitness is creating opportunities for treadmills that allow users to connect with friends and run together virtually, providing motivation and companionship during workouts. - **Gamification of Exercise:** The trend of gamifying exercise is driving innovation in the fitness industry, as treadmills like the Nautilus 618 incorporate gamified elements like virtual courses and competition to make workouts more engaging and enjoyable. ### Where This Applies - **Fitness Technology:** The fitness technology industry has the opportunity to develop and improve virtual fitness platforms like RunSocial, creating more immersive and interactive experiences for users. - **Home Fitness Equipment:** The home fitness equipment industry can leverage the trend of social fitness to create connected treadmills and other workout devices that enable users to exercise with friends and track their progress together. - **Gaming and Entertainment:** The gaming and entertainment industry can explore partnerships with fitness technology companies to incorporate gamified elements into exercise equipment, enhancing the user experience and attracting a wider audience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Gamified Treadmill Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aviron-victory-treadmill.md) - [Intelligent Treadmill Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aipowered-treadmill.md) - [Enhanced Treadmill Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/victory-treadmill.md) - [Connected Soundstage Treadmills](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nordictrack-ultra-1.md) - [Inaugural Global Treadmill Championships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/global-treadmill-championship.md) - [Smart Home Fitness Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merach.md) - [Socially Connected Workout Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/socialpump-app.md) - [Interactive Tandem Workout Consoles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/workout-console.md) - [Multifunctional Home Treadmills](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lifesmart-tm2202.md)