Adding to its lineup of Activité-branded watch-style activity trackers, Withings today announced the Activité Steel. The Activité Steel is designed to fit in between the expensive original Activité and the more affordable Activité Pop.

Withings Steel
Like the other Activité activity trackers, the Activité Steel is designed to look more like a traditional wrist watch than a fitness device. It features a stainless steel case, chrome hands, and a sub-dial that was inspired by a tachymeter. According to Withings, the Activité Steel was designed to have a "distinctive masculine feel."

"While the tracker market is booming we see growing demand from health conscious people who are not willing to compromise their style," says Cédric Hutchings, CEO of Withings. "Steel is the perfect Christmas gift for those demanding trendsetters."

The Activité Steel keeps track of steps taken, showing progress towards a daily goal on the small sub-dial on the watch face. It is also able to automatically detect several activities, including running and swimming, and at night, it's able to monitor sleep length and quality.

There's a standard watch battery inside so there's no need to charge the Activité Steel, but the battery will need to be replaced approximately every eight months. As it does not charge, the Activité Steel is water-resistant up to 50 meters like the other two Activité watches.

All of the information gathered by the Activité Steel can be viewed in the accompanying Withings Health Mate application, which lets users insert activity goals, keep track of food consumed, and interact with friends to reach fitness goals.

The Activité Steel, initially available in classic black, can be ordered from the Withings website for $169.95.

Top Rated Comments

beanbaguk Avatar
126 months ago
I actually love this little watch. It's what a "smart" watch should be all about. Subtle, useful and works just like a traditional watch. And more importantly, it looks fantastic.

While it doesn't have a fancy screen, Dick Tracey style calling, maps and other nonsense, I think Withings have got a perfect balance with this. It's just a shame their marketing machine isn't as powerful as Apple.

I can't wait to get mine.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
beanbaguk Avatar
126 months ago
There doesn't seem like there is anything smart about this watch. Does it do alerts? It's a watch with a pedometer in it, that can track sleep.
You nailed it.

I don't want to be alerted every two seconds on my wrist that I have another sodding whatsapp message or email. I don't care about GPS navigation on my wrist. I also don't give a monkeys about paying for something through my wrist.

For me a smart(ish) watch should complement my phone. In this case, my iPhone.

It doesn't replace an Apple Watch or even come close to one, but as an Apple Watch owner who has his watch in his drawer, back in the box, this is perfect.

This Verge review sums it up perfectly:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/26/7438345/withings-activite-review
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
beanbaguk Avatar
126 months ago
Random question, but anyone know of any normal watches which look like this but without the 'smart' side of things, just a normal watch? Just I really think it is stunning looking watch but don't need all the other stuff. Thanks! :)
"How long is a piece of string?"

It all dependent on budget. If money is no object, I would go for something like this:



This Junghans is also stunning.



There's plenty out there. At a lower budget scale, you can look at Longines but also have a look at a lot of German watch makers.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kwikdeth Avatar
126 months ago
Im a big fan of the withings product line. I have their scale, the watch, and the wireless blood pressure meter. They all tie in great to their app which also has tie-ins for third-party apps, like food trackers, so you can see stuff like your calorie intake next to your exercise. Works great for a guy like me who is just starting to take his health seriously, where you can see feedback on a daily basis and know what is working and what isnt. Thanks to these products ive lost nearly 30 pounds since July. It works for me, thats all i need.

They do make a tracker that does heart rate, but its not nearly as good looking.

My only gripes are that i wish the glass on the Pop was better. I have put a LOT of scratches on mine. Hopefully this new one has better glass. Also i wish they would either offer more band choices, or open it up to third parties.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ob81 Avatar
126 months ago
I have one of these and an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch isn't really a good looking watch. It is a great gadget to have. I like my Activite much better.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
snowmoon Avatar
126 months ago
Well technically the app itself has a heart rate monitor, one can set daily alerts or just do it whenever we want and have it merg with iOS health.

Personally, I use it daily and it works really good.
The fitbit hr shines in 24/7 HR tracking. I charge it when I shower and generally forget about it. Unlike the Apple Watch it does not need to charge overnight which is very useful for resting heart rate calculations. The closest competitor for me would be the basis, but it doesn't have the ecosystem that fitbit has and is a tank ( I much prefer something small ).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Here's Which Vehicle Brands Will and Won't Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Friday June 27, 2025 9:52 am PDT by
Apple last month announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. There was news this week about which automakers will and won't offer CarPlay Ultra, and we have provided an updated list below. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...