Withings introduced its newest and most-advanced smart scale along with the company’s first health subscription service Thursday, both integrated with Apple Health.
The company said the Body Comp scale measures multiple biomarkers for a complete body assessment and the annual Health+ subscription service provides health analysis and tools to help users build healthful routines.
The scale and service launch October 4 at a price of $209.95.
In a recent report, Apple outlined the “rigorous scientific validation processes” used to develop the health and fitness features baked into its products.
Wearables like Apple Watch monitor our bodies around the clock, providing health insights in real time. That’s a new and unprecedented development in medical technology. The benefits are already clear, as the report illustrates, with anecdotes about how Apple Watch has saved lives.
But anecdotal evidence is not the same as scientific research. By cherry-picking the best outcomes, anecdotes risk overlooking the bigger picture. Scientists must look at all the outcomes, not just the good ones. With that in mind, I took a closer look at the scientific studies cited in Apple’s report, to find out what they tell us about the impact Apple Watch is having on our health.
In recent years Apple Watch has shown itself to be a lifesaver, either by calling for help when a person’s incapacitated or by offering health readings that lead a person to see a doctor.
In the latter category it just happened again. A woman in Maine didn’t believe what the wearable was telling her at first. But going to the ER led to open-heart surgery that saved her from a probable fatal stroke.
Personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology maker AliveCor sued Apple last year, claiming the tech giant infringed on patents when developing the heart-health functionality for Apple Watch. AliveCor called for a ban on U.S. imports of the wearable, as well.
Now a judge from the International Trade Commission has supported the claims in an initial ruling.
Withings, maker of health devices and smartwatches, launched its new ScanWatch Horizon wearable on Tuesday. It looks like a classic dive watch but packs modern health and activity tracking, 30-day battery life and Apple Health integration.
It’s not cheap, but there are reasons for that.
Are you drinking enough water? Probably not. But if you want to know for sure, Apple’s online and retail stores have started selling two new smart water bottles from HidrateSpark. They automatically track your water intake and sync it to the Apple Health app.
They do it for a price, that is. The two new smart water bottles are $80 and $60. And if drinking enough water on a regular basis adds years to your life, that might actually be worth it.
Cupertino is likely to add body temperature readings and other new health features to Apple Watch and the Health app in 2022, but it looks like blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring will have to wait, according to a new report.
For a look at those delays to blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring, as well as the expected new features for women’s health and sleep-, fitness- and medication management, read on.
Right now, when your Apple Watch enters Power Reserve mode because its battery is almost out of juice, the time appears on the face as a simple digital clock — and that’s it. The wearable’s other features are temporarily disabled. But Cupertino may expand Apple Watch functionality in low-power mode in the upcoming watchOS 9, according to a new report.
In addition, updates could include new workout types, additional workout metrics, expanded sleep tracking and new watch faces.
If you sweat a lot when you work out — and if your Apple Watch bands barely stand up to the torrent — rejoice. Twelve South rolled out its new ActionBand Thursday. The company designed the soft, absorbent, wide band to keep up with the hardest workouts and resulting perspiration.
Apple appears to be looking into new ways to expand its health-related features. This time it focuses on its popular AirPods, according to a new report. In the future, in addition to filling your head with tunes and podcasts, the earbuds may take your temperature, monitor your posture and help improve your hearing.
