Withings' third analog fitness tracker is the $170 Activite Steel
Last year, French hardware maker Withings debuted the Activité, a $450 Swiss-made watch that also functioned as a fitness tracker. It then followed that up with the Activité Pop, a much lower-end version that cost only $150. Now Withings has come out with a wearable that sits somewhere in the middle: The $170 Withings Activité Steel. It isn't quite as luxurious as the Activité -- it has silicone straps instead of leather -- but it's certainly a lot classier than the Pop thanks to its stainless steel housing and chrome hands. The Steel also has a distinctive style all its own, opting for a white hand in the sub-dial instead of orange.
I tried the new Activite Steel out for a day or two, and it functions very much like its predecessors. You pair it with the Withings Health Mate app, which helps you track your steps as well as your sleep patterns. As the Activite Steel is water-resistant up to 50 meters, it'll automatically detect and track swim laps too. The smaller tachymeter-inspired sub-dial will show you just how much you've progressed toward your activity goal throughout the day -- it'll reset to zero after midnight. And yes, there's no need to charge it because it runs on a standard watch battery that should last up to eight months, according to Withings anyway. My one complaint is that while the Steel's silicone straps are a touch stiffer and doesn't dig into the skin as much as the Pop's, I still found it rather uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.
The Activite Steel will be available only in black, at least for now, and you can order it starting today from the Withings store.
