Hands-on: Withings packed an ECG into its new customizable hybrid watch (Video!)

 

Withings has announced a new wearable called the Withings Move, a hybrid watch that you can customize to your heart’s content. This is the third device launched under the Withings name following the brand’s brief stint at Nokia.

If you’re familiar at all with Withings’ previous Activite watches, you’ll feel right at home here — the Withings Move smartwatches look like traditional analog watches but will also track your activity and give you smartphone notifications. They also have a unique dial on the right-hand side of the watch face that shows how close you are to achieving your daily activity goal.

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Withings is launching two models today: the Withings Move and Withings Move ECG. The Move ECG comes with an electrocardiogram (ECG) built in, and it’s limited in color options. Aside from that, these are the same devices.

ECG support shouldn’t be overlooked — ECGs can be used to help detect potentially serious heart problems like atrial fibrillation (AFib). While ECGs can be extremely helpful, they have yet to make their way to many mainstream wearables. The Apple Watch Series 4 is the most recent wearable to feature an ECG, though devices from Fitbit and Wear OS watches have yet to adopt the technology. That means Withings is one of your best options for a wearable ECG if you’re an Android user.

The Withings Move ECG is one of your only options for a wearable ECG if you're an Android user.

To activate the ECG, just hold two fingers on the top and bottom of the watch casing. You’ll feel a slight vibration, and the watch will instantly start recording in the Withings Health Mate app. When we demoed this feature, the ECG kicked in right away — it was almost instantaneous. After 30 seconds of measurements, you can check the detailed graph in the Health Mate app, and even send the results straight to your doctor.

The Withings Move puts a focus on customizability. While the watches will only be available in five color options at launch, Withings will allow users to completely customize the colors of their watches later on in 2019. Think Moto Maker, but for watches. You can choose your own watch band, face color, dial color, and color for the numbers.

Withings plans to fulfill all U.S. orders right here in the U.S., so customizing a watch online should only mean a few days’ wait time before it ships out. Non-U.S. orders will be fulfilled at one of Withings’ Europe locations.

I quite like the Move’s design — it reminds me a lot of the Activite Pop lineup with all the bold colors.

Withings might have plans for a more 'premium' Move smartwatch in the future.

These bright, quirky designs won’t appeal to everyone though. Talking to Android Authority, Withings’ General Manager Mathieu Letombe says there is a possibility of a device with more “premium” materials in the future, but the company doesn’t have any plans for such a device at this time.

Of course, these watches will also track your activity and fitness throughout the day. They’ll automatically recognize activities like walking, running, swimming, and biking, and track your steps taken, calories burned, and distance traveled. If you aren’t a fan of automatically tracked activities, you can press a button on the Move to activate the on-demand workout mode, which will also activate the connected GPS mode. That means you’ll get accurate distance and pace metrics as long as you keep your smartphone with you on your runs. Unfortunately neither device comes with a heart rate sensor.

The Withings Move and Move ECG come with 5ATM water resistance ratings, too. Withings says the standard Move will last 18 months on its battery, while the ECG model will last up to a year.

Sleep tracking is also onboard. You’ll be able to track your sleep duration, how well you slept, and your sleep stages throughout the night. Withings Move users will also get access to Withings’ Sleep Smarter Program, which consists of eight weeks of recommendations to help improve your sleep patterns overtime.

The Withings Move is available for pre-order today, January 6 in five color options for $69.95. Devices are slated to ship about a month from now on February 5. The Withings Move ECG will be available in Q2 2019 for $129.95. You’ll be able to customize the ECG watch’s colors, but the face will only be available in black and white.

That’s not all Withings is launching today — the company’s new BPM Core cardiovascular monitor has the ability to read your blood pressure, take electrocardiogram readings, and digital stethoscope measurements — all in one device. In fact, this is the first device ever that’s capable of taking all three of these readings. If you have concerns about high blood pressure or frequent the doctor for ECG readings, you’ll want to check out the BPM Core in Q2 2019 when it goes on sale for $249.95.

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from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2SF5Wi1