Is the Withings Go the Next Great Fitness Tracker?

AppAdvice was lucky enough to get our hands on a black Withings Go prior to its official release. Ever since the device was announced in January, we’ve been waiting to see one of these up close. For the most part, we’ve been impressed.

Unlike other fitness trackers on the market, the $79.95 Withings Go is made for the masses. By this, we mean that Withings has created an inexpensive wearable device that looks great, is durable, and feature-packed.

It’s two biggest selling points: the Withings Go utilizes an E-ink display, which means that its battery lasts for up to eight months without needing to be replaced. Plus, it works with the excellent Health Mate – Steps tracker & Life coach by Withings app, which we’ll discuss in the next section.

We were also impressed that despite its relatively low price, the Withings Go comes with a clip and wristband. You can wear it on your wrist, belt, or key ring, or in your pocket. It also comes with a battery installation tool.

We should also mention that the Withings Go is water-resistant. Yes, you can wear it in the pool.

Companies such as Apple and Samsung have concentrated on making all-in-one smartwatches that also happen to include fitness components. Rightfully, this approach has resulted in products that are too expensive for many would-be consumers.

Wearable devices by Withings, by contrast, feature minimalistic, some would say basic, designs. The company’s Activité line of smartwatches, for example, don’t even feature a digital display. Instead, they feature two analog circles, a large watch face and a smaller one that tracks your steps.

Here’s the little dirty secret: In terms of the fitness tracking, the least expensive Apple Watch ($299) does just as much as the $80 Withings Go. Actually, when you consider that the current-generation Apple Watch can’t track sleep or be worn in a pool, the Withings Go actually does more.

The secret sauce is in the free Health Mate app, which is available for iOS and Android. The app allows you to set the time on your watch and also track your daily step count goal. You’ll also use this to keep track of your sleeping habits, and compete against other Health Mate users.

As we’ve mentioned before, the Health Mate app features one of the best user interfaces we’ve seen for tracking devices due to its simplicity and use of bright colors.

Because the Withings Go is water-resistant, it has the ability to track swimming laps. You can also automatically track walking, running, and sleep.