Withings Puts Apple Health Sync Behind a $100-a-Year Subscription for New Users
Smart health device maker Withings has made automatic data syncing with Apple Health and other third-party apps part of its paid Withings+ plan for new users. The plan costs $100 a year.
Smart health device maker Withings has changed its rules on syncing data with third-party apps, drawing criticism from customers. According to a post on the company's support forum, accounts created after October 13 must hold a Withings+ membership to automatically connect their data to Apple Health, Apple's health data app, or similar third-party apps. The Withings+ plan costs $100 a year.
What is changing
Existing users do not appear to be affected. New users who don't pay for the subscription will have to transfer their data manually: any time they want their latest Withings data in another platform, they must export their history and upload it themselves.
A forum reply labeled "Official response from Withings" confirms the change, saying that after the 13th, "automatic sync to third-party apps is part of Withings+."
Customer reaction
Many replies to the original post come from existing users who criticize applying the extra charge to new customers for what they describe as a comparatively simple feature.
About the company
Withings is primarily known for high-end smart health gear. It recently released the Body Scan 2 scale, which costs $600, while the mid-range version still costs $280. Engadget has contacted Withings for further comment and says it will update the story if it receives a response.
