Withings’ new ScanWatch is a classy heart-monitoring wearable
Combining EEG and optical heart-rate for a complete picture of your heart health.
2020 is the year that Withings revamps its Steel HR line of hybrid fitness watches into a new product called the Withings ScanWatch. The new timepiece takes the basic idea of its predecessor and adds a built-in ECG to help folks look for issues with their heart, including atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea.
Design-wise, it's the same dual-subdial face we saw in the Steel HR, with the top circle housing a PMOLED display above Withings' famous activity dial. The tweaks are subtle but they are designed to make the ScanWatch look a little more austere than its predecessor, with squarer edges and a higher shine.
But the real change is inside, with the ScanWatch now packing an ECG much like the one found inside the Move ECG. That means, whenever you want to check in on your heart health, you can, hopefully avoiding last-minute dashes to the emergency room.
Thankfully, Withings didn't drop the optical heart-rate sensor from the case, so you'll get continuous tracking as well as the ECG. And the included SpO2 sensor will help check your oxygen levels overnight to see if you're getting enough oxygen while you sleep.
Naturally, the ScanWatch pairs with Withings' class-leading Health Mate app and ecosystem of health and wellness products from the French company. The watch has a battery life rated for 30 days on a single charge and is expected to be waterproof and, as usual, capable of swim tracking. You'll also get sleep tracking and a vibrating alarm when it thinks you're at the top of a sleep cycle.
The Withings ScanWatch will cost $249 (€249/£229) for the 38mm edition, with the price rising to $299 (€299/£279) for a 42mm case. The expectation is that it'll be available in Q2, pending approvals from the usual bodies, including the FDA. Withings can't control the timetable for getting its devices cleared, so take that timetable with a pinch of salt. After all, the Move ECG was announced in January 2019 and due in the Spring, but regulatory hurdles meant that it wasn't available until the following September.
