Withings’ new Steel HR is a heart-monitoring fitness tracker which doubles as a notification alert centre, all while looking dapper on one’s wrist.
Do you remember the Withings Activite Pop? We do. We felt that it stood out as one of the most attractive fitness trackers on the market, and now Withings has brought out the Steel HR; a sexy affair which rolls together fitness tracking, heart monitoring, and notification management.
True, the Steel HR isn’t trying to compete with the likes of the Apple Watch or the new Gear S3. Rather, this is intended to serve as the creme-de-la-creme of fitness tracking.
Read: Nokia acquires Withings to get into the wearable market
The Steel HR connects with a smartphone through Bluetooth, and can process workouts while tracking steps taken, calories burnt, distance traveled, and its user’s heart rate.
The device, which lasts a claimed 25 days on a single charge, supports an energy saving mode in which the heart rate monitor deactivates and an additional 20 days of battery life can be eked out.
Rather than using a removable battery – as previous Withings models have done – the Steel HR makes use of a rechargeable cell, meaning users won’t have to fork out extra cash for a new battery every couple of months.
Basic notifications (such as a heads-up notification when a call is inbound) are further supported.
The Withings Steel HR is expected to be released in October this year; a 36mm model will retail for $179.95, while a larger 40mm model will retail for $199.95 USD.
We’re awaiting word as to whether Withing’s new activity tracker will land in South Africa, though we imagine a local launch is likely.
Read: Withings Activité Pop Review: Best of both worlds
What are your thoughts on the Withings Steel HR? Would you choose this over a ‘conventional’ smartwatch? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
