The Withings ScanWatch 2 is a hybrid smartwatch that hides advanced health sensors inside a traditional analog watch body, so it looks like a classic timepiece while quietly tracking your heart, temperature, blood oxygen and sleep. Based on Withings’ official specifications and published expert and user feedback, it stands out for two reasons: a design that passes as a normal wristwatch, and a battery that lasts up to about 30 days rather than a single day. It is best understood as a health-first wearable for people who want medically oriented metrics and long battery life, not a full app-loaded touchscreen smartwatch.
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- Analog hybrid design with real hands plus a small AMOLED sub-display
- Health focus: ECG, SpO2, skin temperature trends, heart rate and sleep
- Up to ~30-day battery life, far longer than typical smartwatches
What is the Withings ScanWatch 2?
The ScanWatch 2 is the second-generation flagship in Withings’ hybrid line. Unlike an Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch, it uses physical mechanical hands over a classic dial. A small round monochrome AMOLED window near the top of the face shows notifications, metrics and menus, while a separate sub-dial tracks your daily activity progress toward a step goal. There is no full-color touchscreen, no app store, and no ability to reply to messages from the wrist. Instead, the design keeps the focus on passive, continuous health monitoring paired with a long battery life.
Withings positions the watch around its “Health Improvement Score” and its headline sensors. The signature addition on this generation is a temperature sensor that tracks skin temperature variations overnight, alongside the ECG and blood-oxygen features carried over from the original ScanWatch.
Design and display
According to Withings, the ScanWatch 2 comes in 38 mm and 42 mm case sizes with a stainless steel body and sapphire crystal glass, which is highly scratch-resistant. The look is deliberately understated: brushed metal, a clean dial, and a crown you rotate and press to navigate the interface. Because timekeeping runs on real hands, the watch keeps showing the time even when the digital display sleeps.
The trade-off is screen real estate. The circular AMOLED window is small and monochrome, so it is fine for glancing at a heart-rate reading, a step count or a text preview, but it is not built for scrolling apps, maps or photos. Users who want a wrist computer will find it limiting; users who want a watch that looks like a watch tend to see that as the entire point.
Health and fitness tracking
Health monitoring is the core of the ScanWatch 2. Per Withings’ specifications, the main capabilities include:
- ECG — an on-demand electrocardiogram that can help flag signs of atrial fibrillation. For background on what these readings capture, see our explainer on what a smartwatch ECG actually measures and whether a smartwatch can detect AFib.
- Blood oxygen (SpO2) — on-demand oxygen saturation spot checks. Accuracy of wrist SpO2 varies, as we cover in this guide to SpO2 on smartwatches.
- Skin temperature — a sensor that tracks temperature variation trends, mainly used to add context to sleep and recovery data.
- Continuous heart rate — 24/7 optical monitoring with high- and low-heart-rate notifications.
- Sleep tracking — sleep stages, duration, interruptions and a nightly sleep score. See how reliable these are in our piece on tracking sleep stages accurately.
- Activity — steps, calories, elevation and automatic recognition for a range of workouts, with connected GPS via your phone.
One important limitation: the ScanWatch 2 does not measure blood pressure. Withings sells that feature in separate cuff-equipped devices, and wrist-based blood pressure remains difficult in general, as explained in our article on whether a smartwatch can measure blood pressure accurately. Calorie figures are also estimates rather than exact counts, a point we unpack in how accurate smartwatch calorie counts are.
Battery life
Battery life is arguably the ScanWatch 2’s biggest advantage. Withings rates it at up to roughly 30 days on a full charge under typical use, dropping if you run frequent ECGs, sleep tracking and workout sessions. That is dramatically longer than mainstream smartwatches, which usually need daily or every-other-day charging. Because the analog hands and long runtime reduce charging anxiety, the watch is well suited to continuous overnight tracking. For a wider look at how models stack up, see our battery life comparison and our battery-saving tips.
Water resistance and durability
Withings lists the ScanWatch 2 at 5 ATM water resistance, meaning it can handle showers, rain and swimming in shallow water, though not high-pressure or diving use. Combined with the stainless steel case and sapphire glass, it is built to be worn continuously. For what these ratings really mean, see our guide on smartwatch water resistance.
How it compares to a full smartwatch
Deciding between the ScanWatch 2 and a conventional smartwatch comes down to what you value most.
- Analog hands, classic watch look
- Up to ~30-day battery life
- Deep health metrics, minimal apps
- Full color touchscreen and apps
- Usually 1-2 day battery life
- On-wrist replies, payments, GPS built in
If you want app notifications, contactless payments, on-wrist replies and a bright touchscreen, a traditional smartwatch is the better fit. If you want long battery life, discreet styling and a strong set of health sensors, the ScanWatch 2 is designed exactly for you. Note that connectivity is Bluetooth to your phone only; there is no LTE model, so it is not a standalone-cellular device. See our overview of LTE vs Wi-Fi and data plans for context.
Who should buy the ScanWatch 2?
The ScanWatch 2 makes the most sense for health-conscious users, people monitoring heart rhythm or sleep, and anyone who dislikes the look and daily charging of mainstream smartwatches. It is a weaker choice for those who want a smartwatch as a mini-phone on the wrist. Published reviews consistently praise its build quality, battery and breadth of health data, while noting the small display and lack of a full app ecosystem as the main compromises.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Withings ScanWatch 2 have GPS?
It uses connected GPS, meaning it relies on your paired smartphone’s GPS to map routes during workouts. There is no built-in GPS chip, so you need to carry your phone for accurate distance and pace tracking outdoors.
Can the ScanWatch 2 take an ECG?
Yes. It offers an on-demand ECG feature that records a single-lead reading and can help flag signs of atrial fibrillation. It is a wellness feature, not a substitute for a clinical ECG or medical evaluation.
How long does the battery really last?
Withings rates it at up to about 30 days per charge under typical use. Heavy use of ECG, SpO2, continuous workouts and nightly sleep tracking will shorten that, but it still far outlasts most touchscreen smartwatches.
Does it work with iPhone and Android?
Yes. The ScanWatch 2 syncs with the free Withings app on both iOS and Android over Bluetooth. If you have trouble pairing, our guide on fixing Bluetooth connection issues can help.