Nowadays, wearable devices are designed to keep us more connected to our health than ever before. That’s because they now tend to integrate multiple wellness functions such as tracking our physical activity, monitoring the quality of our sleep, and even checking our heart rate regularly. Still, there are many wearable devices on the market that lack on other important wellness-tracking capabilities such as measuring a user’s blood oxygen levels or even detecting atrial fibrillation through a more accurate tracking of a user’s heart rate. Nevertheless, the newly released Withings ScanWatch aims to fix that problem, as this advanced hybrid smartwatch has the potential to help millions of people track medical and wellness data that could then be crucial to make meaningful impacts on their lives.
The Withings ScanWatch is an advanced hybrid smartwatch that integrates multiple wellness functions such as an heart rate sensor for monitoring cardiovascular health, a medical-grade ECG for detecting normal heart rhythm as well as atrial fibrillation, and also a built-in Oximeter to record blood oxygen levels from your wrist through a high-end SpO2 sensor in only 30 seconds.
THE STORY BEHIND THE WITHINGS SCANWATCH
This advanced hybrid smartwatch was developed with the help of cardiologists and other medical experts, and it has also been validated in several through clinical studies. In fact, the ScanWatch was even made available earlier in Europe, where it was used in one of those studies to monitor patients remotely in German hospitals.
Moreover, just shortly after being announced, the ScanWatch also received three CES Innovation Awards.
And just recently, the ScanWatch has also been FDA cleared to be capable of detecting atrial fibrillation through ECG as well as measuring SpO2 levels from the wrist. As such, unlike many other wearables on the market today, the ScanWatch is actually capable of recording both ECG and SpO2 measurements.
Now, back to the Withings ScanWatch. Other than its heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen level tracking capabilities, the ScanWatch can also be used as a sophisticated activity monitor to track physical activity parameters such as steps, calories, elevation, and workout routes (via connected GPS), and it can also automatically recognize more than 30 daily activities such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling.
On top of that, it also offers Fitness Level assessments through estimation of an indicator called VO2 Max, which measures the heart and muscle’s ability to convert oxygen into energy during physical exercise.
Best of all, the ScanWatch can also be connected with the Withings Health Mate App so that it can provide you with data and insights on its monitored health data, while also allowing to schedule activity reminders, set goals, and manage wellness achievements, all through the App. Finally, users are also able to pair the Health Mate App with more than 100 third-party Apps, including Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava, and MyFitnessPal.
All that makes the Withings ScanWatch one of the most advanced hybrid smartwatches that you can find available on the market today.
So, without any further ado, let’s have a more detailed look at each of its components and check out exactly how this advanced hybrid smartwatch is designed to work, and also talk a little about each of its different wellness-tracking functionalities.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the watch’s size, the ScanWatch can come either in a 38mm model (1.6″ in diameter by 0.52″ thick with a 0.70″ wristband at 58g) or in a 42mm model (1.65″ in diameter by 0.54″ thick with a 0.79″ wristband at 83g).
You can also get it in one of two different color models – either White and Silver or Black and Silver.
In addition, the ScanWatch comes together with a premium Sport Fluoroelastomer Wristband that’s soft and durable, yet still super comfortable to wear. This fluoroelastomer wristband is also extremely water-resistant.
Moreover, the ScanWatch also supports swappable wristbands. That said, if you happen to have multiple wristbands, you can very easily change them in seconds, allowing you to wear your ScanWatch in whatever style you love the most, whether that’s with a leather, silicone or metal wristband.
Then, for its construction, the ScanWatch also features a very resilient build, as it’s body combines an ultra-durable 316L Stainless Steel Case with a sturdy Anti Reflective Sapphire Glass for its watch face. Throughout the watch’s case, we also have a brass lacquered dial with applied chrome indexes, a guilloche subdial (except in the 42mm black model), and a set of high-end chrome hands.
Just like its included Sport Fluoroelastomer Wristband, the watch’s case is also rated to be water-resistant for up to 5 ATM. In other words, the ScanWatch is capable of withstanding a pressure of 5 bar or a maximum underwater pressure of up to 50 meters deep.
Now, moving on to the watch’s components. Right at the center of the watch’s body, and just close to its top-side, we have a large PMOLED Digital Display Screen, which is where users will be reading the watch’s default settings such as the time, as well as the watch’s monitored heart rate (including any detected irregular rhythm) and blood oxygen level data (SpO2).
Via its PMOLED Digital Display Screen, users will also be able to have display customized call, text, calendar and app notifications, plus physical activity data that’s tracked daily such as steps-count, distance walked, floors climbed, calories burned, and more.
By rotating the watch’s digital crown, users can easily cycle through those different display options, allowing them to conveniently have them displayed individually on the ScanWatch’s PMOLED Digital Screen.
Lastly, at the back side of the watch, we also have all of its integrated sensors. For its main sensor, the watch utilizes a combined Exclusive Multi-Wavelength PPG Heart Rate and SpO2 Sensor / Oximeter, which is used for monitoring cardiovascular health, for detecting normal heart rhythm and atrial fibrillation, and for recording blood oxygen levels.
Additionally, the watch also boasts a set of Stainless Steel Electrodes, a High Precision MEMS 3-Axis Accelerometer, and an an Altimeter, which are used both for its main and secondary health-tracking functionalities.
CONNECTIVITY
For its connectivity, the ScanWatch uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) connectivity to sync all of its tracked health-data with the Withings Health Mate App, as well as with any other third-party health-related Apps.
On a side note, it’s also worth mentioning that when using the watch in its Workout Mode (meaning when using the ScanWatch as a sophisticated activity monitor to track physical activity data), the watch will rely on your phone’s GPS Connectivity in order to complement its motion and heart rate data collection (via its built-in sensors) with route tracking (via GPS).
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
One of the best features offered by the ScanWatch is its exceptionally long battery life, which, thanks to its powerful internal battery, can offer you of up to 30 days of battery life on a single charge when using the watch on Normal Mode.
Moreover, you can get an additional 20 days of battery life (for a total of 50 days) when you actually use the watch in its Power Reserve Mode, which basically makes it display only the time and the health data from its activity tracking functions (steps-count, distance, calories, etc.).
To ensure that you can get the most out of its battery, you’d probably want to swap between both modes, meaning that you’d enabled its Normal Mode when you’d want to track your heart rate and/or blood oxygen level, and then enabled its Power Reserve Mode when you wouldn’t require to do that.
Then, for recharging the watch once its battery is running low on power, all that you have to do is to connect its included Magnetic Charging Cable to its Magnetic Charging port. The watch also supports Fast Charging, which means that it only takes around 1 hour to have its battery recharging from 0% back to 80% power.
In comparison, when looking to have the watch’s battery recharging from 0% to 100% power, that should take you approximately 2 hours.
WITHINGS HEALTH MATE APP & TRACKING FUNCTIONALITIES
As said before, the ScanWatch can also be connected with the Withings Health Mate App to have it provide you with data and insights on its monitored health data, as well as to schedule activity reminders, set goals, and manage wellness achievements. The Health Mate App is available to download for free both for iOS as well as for Android devices.
Additionally, users are also able to pair the Health Mate App with more than 100 third-party Apps for additional health-data tracking purposes, including Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava, and MyFitnessPal.
Heart Rate Tracking & Recreational Oxygen Saturation
For the watch’s Heart Rate Tracking function, the ScanWatch can accurately record a user’s heart rate every 10 minutes for a whole 24 hours, ultimately providing each and every user with round-the-clock heart rate tracking via the Withings Health Mate App.
That same continuous heart rate tracking is also provided in the watch’s Workout Mode (meaning when using it as a sophisticated activity monitor during any sort of physical activity / workout).
In addition, the ScanWatch can also prodive each user with an on demand measurement of their oxygen saturation level (SpO2) in just 30 seconds.
Breathing Disturbances Detection
When this functionality is activated, the ScanWatch’s Respiratory Scan will enabled the watch to detect breathing disturbances via blood oxygen saturation levels, heart rate, breathing frequency and movement.
Just like your monitored heart rate data, the watch’s recorded blood oxygen levels via its Oximeter will also be displayed within the Health Mate App.
Irregular Beat Detection
Since the ScanWatch records a user’s heart rate periodically (every 10 mins), the watch will also send you a notification whenever an irregular heartbeat is detected.
On-Demand ECG
The ScanWatch is also capable of offering its users a medical-grade ECG (Electrocardiogram) on-demand, thus allowing users to check their current heart rhythm and see if it is currently normal, as well as to accurately detect any potential atrial fibrillation, all in just 30 seconds.
After that time has passed, a user’s ECG results are immediate display on the watch’s screen, and can also be relayed in the App for a more in-depth diagnostic report.
Advanced Sleep Tracking
Every night, users can also rely on the ScanWatch’s Sleep Tracking functionality to then wake to a full Sleep Quality report, which not only includes heart health tracking, but also an accurate Sleep Score that’s based on their sleep cycles, their sleep duration and any sleep interruptions (meaning each time a user unintentionally wakes up).
The ScanWatch can also have a Silent Vibrating Alarm configured that allows users to take further advantage of ts Smart Wake-Up functions.
24/7 Activity Tracking
In addition to all of its health-tracking functionalities, the ScanWatch also features 24/7 Activity tracking, as it can automatically track walking and running to count your daily steps and distance walked (via your smartphone’s GPS), calories burned, and elevation / floors climbed (via its altimeter), for which all of that data is based on a user’s profile for high precision tracking.
And other than walking and running, the watch can also track many other physical activities via its Workout Mode, such as biking, swimming, and more. Users can choose from 30 different activities, which can all be launched directly from their wrist via the watch’s Workout Mode.
When doing that, the Health Mate App will provide users with a Fitness Score via VO₂max, which measures the heart and muscle’s ability to convert oxygen into energy during physical exercise, as well as many other accurate workout metrics that can all ultimately help users to stay focused on their physical performance and even improve their cardiovascular fitness.
When doing that, the Health Mate App will provide users with a Fitness Score via VO₂max, which measures the heart and muscle’s ability to convert oxygen into energy during physical exercise, as well as many other accurate workout metrics that can all ultimately help users to stay focused on their physical performance and even improve their cardiovascular fitness.
Advanced Swim Analysis
Coming soon, there will also be an Advanced Swim Analysis functionality that will feature number of laps, strokes, type of stroke, and distance while swimming with the ScanWatch on your wrist.
Smart Notifications
Last but not least, the ScanWatch can also be set tol vibrate and display a preview of smartphone notifications for any of the Apps that you want to hear from.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside each package, users will find: their Withings ScanWatch Hybrid Smartwatch, an included Premium Sport Fluoroelastomer Wristband, as well as the watch’s dedicated Magnetic Charging Cable, a Carrying Pouch, and a Quick start guide (comes in 5 different languages – English, French, German, Italian, Spanish).
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Withings ScanWatch is an advanced hybrid smartwatch that integrates multiple wellness functions such as an heart rate sensor for monitoring cardiovascular health, a medical-grade ECG for detecting normal heart rhythm as well as atrial fibrillation, and also a built-in Oximeter to record blood oxygen levels from your wrist through a high-end SpO2 sensor in only 30 seconds.
The ScanWatch can also be used as a sophisticated activity monitor to track physical activity parameters such as steps, calories, elevation, and workout routes (via connected GPS), and it can also automatically recognize more than 30 daily activities such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling.
It also offers Fitness Level assessments by measuring your heart’s and muscles’ ability to convert oxygen into energy during physical exercise.
Lastly, the ScanWatch can also be connected with the Withings Health Mate App (and over 100 other third-party Apps) to provide you with data and insights on its monitored health data, as well as to schedule activity reminders, set goals, and manage wellness achievements, all through the App.
All that makes the Withings ScanWatch one of the most advanced hybrid smartwatches that you can find available on the market today.
If you’re interested in buying it, pricing starts at $279.95, and each purchase also comes accompanied by a 1-Year Warranty. You can order yours online right now, either directly from Withings’s official shopping page, or alternatively, you can also get it from Amazon.
