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Withings doesn’t want you to look at its latest smart scale

Withings is adding an affordable new member to its portfolio of smart scales called Body Smart. Priced at $100 and coming in black and white colors, the Body Smart is the cheapest product of its kind from Withing and sits a tier below the Body Scan and Body Comp.

Just like the premium models, the Withings Body Smart also relies on the multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) system to accurately measure everything from heart rate to visceral fat mass in the body.

Someone standing on the Withings Body Smart scale.
Withings

The Body Smart will let you check the fat, muscle, and bone mass in your body, in addition to the lean mass and hydration levels at any given time. Withings claims that the scale can also estimate the amount of fat around your vital organs, a metric that is indicated on a numerical scale called the visceral fat index. In general, a higher fat accumulation around internal organs is indicative of chronic illnesses related to the heart and sugar metabolism, among others.

While the body mass index (BMI) calculation sounds like a fairly generic capability, the Body Smart scale will also tell users about their resting calorie burn rate (basal metabolic rate) and biological metabolic age when compared to an average human being falling in the same age group. “For the first time, Withings Body Smart will also be able to measure Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR),” the company claims.

Like its more expensive siblings, Withings Body Scan relies on its in-house Precision Technology hub that runs an electrical signal through the body in order to create a physical health and wellness profile. The scale can distinguish between eight people to keep tabs on their health.

Withings Body Smart in white.
Withings

For folks currently in the middle of their fitness journey, the “eyes closed” mode flashes motivational messages on the color screen instead of showing the measurements. The data will still be available in the Withings companion app, but you won’t be forced to see it on the scale itself. If you don’t want to look at your weight each time you step on the scale, you don’t have to.

Another cool feature is the ability to measure a toddler’s body weight by just holding them in your arms and standing on the Body Smart scale.

The companion app, aside from offering a detailed breakdown of body measurements, also gives users access to personalized expert guidance and allows them to sign up for tailor-made wellness programs to help achieve their fitness goals. For those worried about ecosystem limitations, the smart scale works just fine with Google and Apple’s fitness apps, as well as their respective hardware (such as the Apple Watch).

The Withings Body Smart is priced at $100 and comes with  free month of the Withings+ subscription, which was formerly known as the Health+ subscription. For those intrigued about Withing’s low-end smart scale, the Body Smart goes on sale starting today in the U.S. and elsewhere.

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Nadeem Sarwar

Nadeem is a tech journalist who started reading about cool smartphone tech out of curiosity and soon started writing professionally. Aside from keeping a track of the latest developments in the segment, he also tests out the newest gizmos, serves hot opinions about disastrous product decisions, and occasionally talks to smarter people for stories that connect tech with our lives. Previously, he has worked with prestigious names like NDTV Gadgets 360, Beebom, and Pocketnow. When he's not busy furiously typing on his precious mechanical keyboard, he likes to play Doom Eternal and cooks weird delicacies.

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