Nokia launches new digital health products

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nokia is ready to be a consumer brand again. Of course, to many, it never stopped. Even as its phone business changed hands to Microsoft and then to HMD Global, the Nokia brand never really died. So much so that HMD Global's latest line of phones still bear the Nokia name, despite having nothing to do with Nokia itself. But it was its purchase of Withings that signified Nokia's eventual return to the consumer market. Now, that time is here. As of Monday, June 19, the Withings name will be replaced by Nokia. And, to go along with this transition, Nokia is announcing three new products: A BMI WiFi scale, a soft-cuff blood pressure monitor and a whole new app, Engadget said.

The scale called Nokia Body and is a new addition to the existing line of digital Withings scales, which now go under different names: Withings Body is now Nokia Body Plus (it measures body fat) while Withings Body Cardio is now Nokia Body Cardio (it measures body fat in addition to cardiovascular health). While the Body Cardio and the Body Plus cost more than $100 each, the new Nokia Body will retail for only $59.95 (£55), making it the cheapest scale in Nokia's lineup. That's because the Body only tracks your weight and nothing else. It does offer BMI (body mass index) insights and of course it still has WiFi and Bluetooth so you can sync your data easily with the app, but it doesn't have the sensors of the higher-end products. Still, at under $60, that's certainly one of the most affordable smart scales out there, and could prove to be a great entry-level product.

Next is the Nokia BPM+, which is a much softer and more portable version of Withings existing blood pressure monitor. While the older product has a hard plastic curve that you have to wrap around your arm, the new BPM+ has a cuff made of softer material. This not only makes it more comfortable to wear, it also rolls up into a more compact shape, allowing you to stash the BPM+ in your purse or bag for on-the-go monitoring. According to Nokia, the BPM+ measures systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, and is both FDA-cleared and medical CE approved. The BPM+ will be available for $129.95 (£115).

Last but not least is the brand new Health Mate app, which has been reimagined from the ground up to be the centerpiece in Nokia's new digital health strategy. The app will work across all of Nokia's new products as well as all of Withings' existing lineup, which means that previous Withings customers won't be left in the dust.

Most of Nokia's new digital health line -- including the newly announced BMI WiFi scale and the BPM+ -- are available right now from Nokia.com, Best Buy, Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond, and will be available in retailers such as Target, CVS and Apple stores later this year. The only exception is the Nokia Steel HR (previously known as the Withings Steel HR), which will launch later this fall.