Withings has announced Withings Move, a cusomisable analogue watch with built-in activity and sleep tracking, and impressive 18-month battery life. A more advanced model will offer heart-rate monitoring and electrocardiogram (ECG) checks.
When you walk, run, swim or bike, Move will automatically record your activity. By long-pressing the side button, you can launch a workout session. This will activate a chronograph and connected GPS to give statistics on duration, distance, elevation, and path mapped in the Health Mate app. Read our review of the Withings Move to find out how it works.
Also at CES, the company announced a Withings Move ECG version that can give you an electrocardiogram direct from the wrist. It will be available in the second quarter of 2019. Read our hands-on Withings Move ECG review.
Withings Move and Move ECG availability and pricing
Unveiled at the CES show in January 2019, Move is available to buy now, with pricing beginning at £59.95 or US$69.95.
The Move ECG version of the activity-tracking watch is due later in 2019 – Withings says in the second quarter (April to June). Move ECG will be available in Q2 2019 for $129.95 or £129.95.
Withings Move comes with a plastic case and a stainless-steel bottom case with a silicone wristband, though there’s also pricier ‘Timeless Chic’ editions that use more glass and metal for a more premium feel, though prices start from £99.95/$99.95 for those models.
Withings also makes the Steel activity-tracking watch. See Best Activity Trackers and Which Fitbit is best roundups.
Withings Move customizable designs
Move looks like a traditional watch, available in a 38mm frame option with three dials. There is no screen, so activity is shown via a dial with the watch’s third hand.
Customisation options let users choose from a range of case, wristband, dial, handle, watch face colours and material combinations, including glass type.
Two dials display the time, and one dial visualizes user activity progression from 0 to 100, based on the steps objectives set in the Health Mate app, letting users see their daily progress at a glance.
Move’s initial collection is available online in the UK in five different colour options: Black & Yellow Gold; White & Sea Blue; White & Coral; Black & Mint; and White, Black & Mint.
The Move ECG watch face will be available in both White and Black, with a variety of wristband colours and material options.
Later, the collection will expand with additional design schemes launching each month and on “special occasions”. See top picture for ideas on later Withings Move colour releases.
Users can also customise Move down to the colours of the dials, and create their own custom watch easily on the Withings website.
Withings Move tracking features
Move connects to the dedicated Health Mate app for iOS and Android that provides data, insights, scheduled activity reminders and the ability to set goals and manage success.
It also connects with more than 100 third-party apps such as Apple Health, Google Fit, or MyFitnessPal.
It connects to the GPS on your smartphone.
Activity & Workout Tracking features
Automatic recognition of daily activities including walking, running, swimming and – for the first time on a Withings watch – cycling.
Overall daily and weekly steps, calories burned and distance are shown within the Health Mate app.
Sessions that are automatically detected are also recorded in the app, which shows the duration and calories burned during a given activity.
An On-demand workout mode allows users to record a specific session by pressing a button on the watch to activate its connected GPS (via BLE) feature.
Pace, time and distance are shown in real-time on a paired smartphone and the workout route is mapped after the session in the Health Mate app.
Water resistance for the Move is up to 50 metres.
Sleep Tracking features
Sleep monitoring and analysis of sleep patterns include length, depth and quality of sleep.
A Smart Wake-up alarm will wake users with vibration alarms at the most optimal times during their sleep cycle.
A Sleep Score IS based on data such as sleep duration, depth regularity and interruptions.
There is also access to a Sleep Smarter Program, which consists of eight weeks of recommendations to improve sleep patterns.
Move’s record-breaking battery life
Move features up to 18 months of battery life, which is considerably longer than most other activity trackers that require recharging after around a week. Apple’s Watch can last just a few days maximum.
Move ECG has a 12-month battery life.
The company notes that “all battery claims depend on the cellular network, location, signal strength, feature configuration, usage, and many other factors”.
Move ECG – an electrocardiogram on demand
The Move ECG version of the activity-tracking watch uses heart monitoring to take an electrocardiogram on-demand to help detect paroxysmal AFib.
AFib is a serious form of irregular heart rhythm that can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and heart failure.
It is estimated six million people in the US (CDC) and one million people in the UK (NHS) have AFib, which is both an indication of heart disease and associated with a host of conditions including thyroid problems, viral infections, stoke and lung disease.
Despite these numbers, AFib is often underdiagnosed as its symptoms can easily be missed if they are not occurring during an infrequent doctors’ visit.
Many people who have AFib don’t know they have it and don’t have any symptoms. Others may experience palpitations or shortness of breath.
The heart is a muscle triggered by an electrical signal that can be recorded as an electrocardiogram, or ECG. With the medical-grade Move ECG watch, if you feel an episode is happening, you can take a measurement thanks to three electrodes: two in the back of the watch, and another on the ring that you hold during the measurement.
After less than 30 seconds of measurement, Move ECG vibrates to notify users that the reading is complete. It then syncs automatically with the Health Mate app, which displays whether the heart is beating in a normal pattern or whether there are signs of AFib.
Users can find a detailed graph of long-term heart rate trends and ECG readings in the app. This data can be shared with a healthcare professional, which can help assist with early diagnosis and prevention.
Withings Move ECG is a currently under review for FDA (US) and CE (EU) clearance.
Author: Simon Jary, Contributing writer
Simon was Editor of Macworld from the dark days of 1995 to the triumphant return of Steve Jobs and the launch of the iPhone. His desk is a test bench for tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, Powerline adaptors and Fitbits.