Withings' swanky new smart scale can record an ECG, provide body comp analysis

Household scales are no longer just for measuring weight. Sure, they do that too, but some companies are out to make the scale you step on every morning much, much more than that. The new Withings Body Scan smart scale can measure your weight, record an electrocardiogram (ECG), analyze your nerve activity, and even estimate your body composition.

The Withings Body Scan mostly resembles other smart scales. It’s covered in a single tempered glass panel and has a 3.2-inch LCD. What differentiates it, though, is a retractable handle above the display, which handles (heh) ECG and body composition measurements.

Grab hold of the handle, and the scale will begin recording a six-lead ECG — the results of which you can share with your doctor from the Withings app. ECGs are used to detect serious heart conditions like atrial fibrillation. Many consumer-grade wearables offer ECG support, including Withings’ own ScanWatch, the Fitbit Sense, and Apple Watch Series 7. Being able to access a reading during your morning weigh-in might be more convenient for some people.

Related reading: Withings ScanWatch review

The Body Scan doesn’t just record your heart rhythm during the ECG test; it can also analyze your small nerve function by tracking the sweat gland activity in your feet. Recording this data takes 30 seconds. After the recording, you’ll be presented with a score in the Withings app to help you understand the current state of your nerve activity. The Body Scan can’t outright detect something like Small Fiber Neuropathy, but it could perhaps help you discover early warning signs.

Like other Withings scales, the Body Scan can estimate your body composition using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). We recently saw this technology make its way into the Galaxy Watch 4. The Body Scan, though, can measure segmental body composition, so you’ll also receive readings for individual body parts like your torso, arms, and legs. In total, the scale measures your whole-body fat and water percentage, visceral fat, muscle and bone mass, as well as extracellular and intracellular water percentage. This type of analysis takes “less than three seconds,” according to Withings.

Importantly, the Withings Body Scan will supposedly measure your body weight to .1lbs/50g accuracy. It also provides your heart rate and an estimation of your “vascular age.” Using data recorded from the scale in the Withings app, you’ll see how your cardiovascular health compares to other people your age.

Health & wellness subscription plans also debut

Withings is using the launch of the Body Scan to roll out personalized coaching plans in the Withings app. The plans were developed in partnership with experts in neurologic, cardiovascular, and metabolic conditions and offer the ability to connect with medical specialists in the case of health concerns. Plans will be available for exercise, sleep, nutrition, and stress management. Withings has yet to set monthly pricing for these plans, though we know each Body Scan buyer will receive three free months of Withings’ health and wellness programs.

Withings’ CEO, Mathieu Letombe, told Android Authority these subscription plans will be different from what Fitbit, Apple, and other companies offer. “You’ll have access to all of the data your scale records, even if you don’t subscribe to a plan,” he said in an interview. “[The plans] are a motivational tool for users to help understand the positive impact of the data our products collect over time.” Letombe also told Android Authority that the plans would be affordably priced. They’ll be available for Body Scan users first, then roll out to other Withings products like watches and sleep mats.

We’ll need to wait a while to get our… feet… on the Withings Body Scan. It’s slated to launch sometime in the second half of 2022, following CE and FDA clearance for the six-lead ECG and Nerve Activity Score features. Gaining CE and FDA approval can be an unpredictable endeavor (just ask the ScanWatch), so it’s best to sit tight while Withings deals with the regulatory approval process. Once that clears, the scale will launch in two colorways, black and white, for $299.95.