Withings debuts Activité Pop, a semi-smartwatch with a much more affordable $150 price (hands-on)

Brightly colored watches, with fitness lurking under the surface: Withings' latest watches are the affordable versions of the Activité we were hoping for.

Scott Stein Editor at Large

I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.

Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials

Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps

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Scott Stein

Jan. 4, 2015 7:58 a.m. PT

2 min read

The Withings Actvité, which came out back in December, could be the future of slightly smarter watches as opposed to smartwatches: a throwback design on the outside, it hides an accelerometer and Bluetooth connectivity inside. It's a fitness tracker that feels and performs like a high-end watch. But it's expensive, too: at $450 in the US, it's more than an entry-level Apple Watch.

That cost problem is now solved. The new Withings Activité Pop, announced at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, is a follow-up to the Activité. It's the other shoe dropping: the first watch is a high-end fashion experiment, while the Pop offers the same functions for only $150. Available tomorrow in the US (Best Buy online first, in limited quantities, according to Withings), the Pop could be perfectly priced. UK and Australian prices weren't available at time of writing, but the US price converts to around £100 or AU$185.

The Activité comes in white or black with a brown or black leather strap and a second waterproof silicone band. The Pop comes in white or black too ("Sand," "Shark Grey,"), but also has an "Azure" blue option. The Pop only comes with a silicone band, and the watch doesn't carry the "Swiss made" pedigree of the Activité. It also lacks the Activité's sapphire crystal. But it has nearly the same dial design, including a daily fitness goal needle that moves from 0 to 100 as your 10,000-step goal is met. It's not Swiss made, but it's still seriously good looking.

Like the Activite, it connects via Bluetooth to the Withings HealthMate app (iOS-only for now, Android planned in the future), measures sleep automatically, has a replaceable battery that lasts 8 months, and is water-resistant to 30 meters for swimming or showering. It even vibrates to wake you up, if you set the alarm in the app.

Expect many watchmakers to to develop "slightly smart" watches that aim to take on Apple and Google in more traditional ways. To win, they'll need to be functional, affordable and not annoying. The Pop could be the formula: it certainly looks like a winning one.