Withings unveils Apple Watch rival that looks for signs of sleep apnea

At last year’s CES, Withings debuted the Move ECG—an analog watch equipped with an electrocardiogram sensor that was about a quarter of the price of the (now discontinued) Apple Watch Series 4.

This year, the company is back on the show floor with yet another Apple Watch competitor: the ScanWatch. 

Just like the Move ECG, the new watch has an electrocardiogram sensor to help detect arrhythmia. But it also comes with a SpO2 sensor to identify signs of sleep apnea and continuous heart rate monitoring. 

At $249 (available later this year), it’s more expensive than the Move ECG, but it’s still not as steep as the $400+ you’d spend on the Apple Watch Series 5. And unlike Apple’s smartwatch, the ScanWatch actually tracks sleep.

Like its predecessor, the ScanWatch is a hybrid, which means it’s an analog watch that connects to your phone via a companion app. That way, any notifications on your phone are sent to the watch. It also tracks your activity during the day and sleep at night. 

At the bottom of the watch face is a sub-dial that shows the percentage of your daily step goals completed. The top features a PMOLED display that shows stats like your step count, calories, distance, and heart rate. It’s also where you’ll see your texts, calls, and social media alerts.

The display only shows one stat at a time — the digital crown on the side of the watch allows you to cycle through the different information. 

The crown is also used to trigger the ECG reader. The side of the watch has three built-in electrodes, so all you need to do is place your finger on the bezel to take a reading. You can watch it in real-time on the display or on the Withings Health app.

To help detect signs of arrhythmia, the PPG sensor continuously runs in the background to monitor your heart rate. If it detects an irregular heartbeat, the watch will prompt you to take an ECG reading.

Meanwhile, the SpO2 sensor works while you’re asleep. It measures your oxygen saturation levels to monitor for any disturbances in your breathing throughout the night. In the morning, you can check if there’s anything to be worried about on the app. 

You can also see your Sleep Score, which is based on how long you slept for, how deep you slept, and whether you woke up at all throughout the night. 

Even with all these sensors working together, the ScanWatch still boasts an impressive 30 days worth of battery life. Which means you don’t have to worry about charging it every night like you would the Apple Watch. 

I had some hands-on time with the watch and, compared to the Move ECG, it feels a lot more premium. The stainless steel case comes in two sizes, 38mm and 42mm, to appease those with small and large wrists. It also comes equipped with sapphire glass, so you don’t have to worry about easily scratching it.

It’s important to note that you shouldn’t solely rely on the watch to diagnose you. Withings says the ScanWatch is “clinically validated,” but that’s basically just a fancy way of saying that its features have been tested to give accurate readings and results.

But unlike the Apple Watch Series 5, the ScanWatch isn’t approved by the FDA yet, so maybe check with a doctor before freaking out over any results.