The Withings ScanWatch has two key selling points that make it very different to most fitness trackers on the market. The first is style – this is a smart, sleek fitness tracker for users who want to learn more about their wellbeing without strapping on a chunky smartwatch or rubbery activity band.
The second is its ECG monitor, which allows you to quickly check your heartbeat for unusual patterns that might be a sign of an underlying health condition. The ScanWatch also monitors your pulse throughout the day, and alerts you if it detects an irregular heartbeat. There’s a pulse oximeter to measure blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) to help identify sleep apnea.
The ScanWatch offers exercise tracking for various types of workout (both indoor and outdoor), but though there’s no GPS unless the watch piggybacks off your phone. The HealthMate app can’t be connected directly to Strava either; you can add workouts, but only if you do so manually. There aren’t many smartwatch features either, with music, NFC payments and downloadable apps all conspicuously absent.
Heart disease is the world’s leading cause of death, and the risk increases as you age, with people over 50 being most susceptible. We suspect that people in this age bracket are also more likely to appreciate the ScanWatch’s smart, timeless design and thoughtfully designed interface and not be put off by its rather steep asking price.
However, if you’re young and generally in good health, a watch with more dedicated workout features might serve you better. The Garmin Vivoactive 4S configured with an ‘analog’ watch face would be a great alternative.
Price and availability
After a delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic and approval for its ECG function, the Withings ScanWatch is available to buy now in Europe directly from Withings, with third-party retailers including Amazon expected to follow soon. While the later launch is a shame, it’s understandable, and on balance we’d prefer to wait than have a device launch with one of its key features disabled. Read More..
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