Finally, a Compelling Reason to Subscribe to Withings+!
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Let’s face it: the world of health tracking has exploded. Even if you’ve never strapped on a smartwatch or touched a fitness tracker, the sheer volume of real-time health data available today is staggering. We can measure everything—sleep quality, heart rate, oxygen levels, breathing patterns, stress, and even how quickly our bodies bounce back after exercise.
But here’s the catch: what are we really supposed to do with all this data? For most people, the answer isn’t obvious. Numbers and charts are great, but without actionable insights, they’re just, well, noise.
Enter the era of “health insight services.” Many companies are cashing in on the trend, offering to analyze your health metrics and provide personalized advice—for a fee, of course. Whether it’s a monthly subscription or a one-time payment, most of these services promise better understanding and improved habits. The reality, though? These services often fall short. Why? They’re either too generic, too complicated, or simply not worth the money.
Until now.
For the first time, I’m inclined to tell you to consider investing in an app subscription. At CES 2025, Withings unveiled the Cardio Check-Up service, which allows users to upload ECG data via the Withings+ subscription app. I had the chance to test it out and spoke with Withings’ Digital CX Director to dive deeper into the service and uncover what it means for users.
- Also interesting: Withings BeamO: A 4-in-1 health scanner for everyday wellness
Cardio Check-Up: Cardiologist Expertise at Home
Imagine this: you’re at home, and your wearable device or smart scale measures your heart rate. Suddenly, a yellow or red flag appears in your app readings. Up until now, you’d probably try to make sense of it yourself—maybe by skimming through the accompanying literature or Googling symptoms. If you were particularly concerned, you might then find a way to contact your doctor. Otherwise? You’d likely dismiss it as an isolated measurement and move on with your day.
I don’t know about you, but this approach feels incredibly passive—and not at all aligned with what I expect from health technology in 2025.
Now, imagine this instead: you run an ECG using your ScanWatch 2 (review) or Body Scan smart scale (review). The same yellow or red flags pop up, but this time, the story doesn’t end there. With the new Cardio Check-Up service, a certified cardiologist reviews your data and provides insights into potential issues, like arrhythmias or atrial fibrillation, within just 24 hours.
Launched on January 3, this service works with multiple Withings devices, including smartwatches and smart scales, and can even analyze historical data already stored in your Withings app. It’s a proactive, streamlined approach to turning health data into actionable insights—and it might just set a new standard for personal health monitoring.
Features include:
- Rapid Feedback: Cardiologist reviews within a day.
- Regular Monitoring: Quarterly check-ups are included in subscriptions.
- Wide Compatibility: Works with ECG-enabled Withings devices.
For $9.95/month or $99.95/year, users gain access to tailored cardiovascular care without leaving home.
Why This Approach Disrupts the Norm
I jumped on testing the new Withings feature as soon as it dropped, and honestly, the whole process was smooth as butter. Since I’m already pretty familiar with the Withings app, navigating through the interface felt easy and natural. The app pulls together all your ECGs into a neat list and flags the ones that need attention. From there, it was super straightforward—I just tapped on the flagged ECG with a high heart rate and shared it with the cardiology team based here in Germany, where I live.
Right at the start of the process, there was a brief but clear consent flow outlining the data-sharing options. It was refreshingly transparent—no jargon or sketchy fine print—and it let me keep my personal data private if I wanted to. After submitting, I didn’t have to wait long. In under five minutes, I got my results back, signed by a doctor. The verdict? My flagged ECG wasn’t anything serious, and my heart’s in good shape. Quick, clean, and exactly what I hoped for.
Although I’m not the core audience for this feature—my heart runs on a steady normal sinus rhythm—I can easily see it as a game-changer for people managing conditions like bradycardia, tachycardia, or atrial fibrillation (Afib). To put it into perspective, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC. The story isn’t much different in Europe, with cardiovascular diseases topping the charts in Germany and France, as reported by the European Commission.
And these are precisely the countries where Withings is rolling out its Cardio Check-Up service, partnering with Heartbeat Health in the U.S. and DPV Analytics in France and Germany.
Before CES 2025, I had the chance to chat with Matthieu Menanteau, Digital CX Director at Withings. He assured me that while the Cardio Check-Up significantly enhances the value of the Withings+ subscription, the company has no plans to hike the price. On top of that, from mid-year onwards, the app will introduce a new AI companion to further support users on their health journeys. Best of all, Withings remains impressively compliant with privacy laws, putting user data protection front and center.
Withings is paving the way for a more personalized health experience, potentially disrupting the wellness industry for those willing to invest in premium care. While the app was already worth it, this new addition might just be the holy grail of health tracking. Now, imagine the same level of innovation applied to nutrition, training, and sleep analysis—that’s the dream! Just to be clear: I’m not talking about handing all of this over to AI—well, at least not yet.
What do you think about the Withings Cardio Check-Up? Could it be the future of personalized care? Share your thoughts—I’d love to hear them!
