Every time I discuss to folks working within the quantified self — health and well being trackers — there’s a murmuring about how little consideration is given to actually half the inhabitants. For individuals who menstruate, cycle monitoring is a vital well being indicator, however all too usually it’s a metric that in some way appears to slide between the cracks.
Withings began previewing its cycle tracking feature in some markets in September 2023 when the ScanWatch 2 launched. The corporate simply rolled out the function globally, on-watch for the ScanWatch 2 and ScanWatch Mild sensible hybrid watches, and for all Withings customers within the app. The corporate is lagging considerably behind its arch-rival Apple, which launched a comparable feature four years earlier.
At its core, the cycle monitoring function permits customers to log their menstrual cycle phases, together with signs, move and interval dates, in addition to file moods and feelings and have a view of the place they’re of their cycle. As soon as the app will get to know your typical cycle, it predicts future interval dates, serving to customers create private routines that align with their month-to-month wants and optimize sleep, exercise and vitamin.
What took you so lengthy?
TechCrunch spoke with Etienne Trégaro, product supervisor in control of, amongst different issues, the corporate’s watches.
“The menstrual cycle tracking feature was one of the top feature requests of our community. That’s why it’s important for us to provide this feature to the new ScanWatch,” mentioned Trégaro in an interview with TechCrunch.
I’m not stunned that this was probably the most requested options. What stunned me is why it has taken Withings so lengthy to launch the function — and why it’s a completely handbook function. The implementation of the function depends on folks getting into knowledge manually, slightly than, say, utilizing biometric knowledge corresponding to heartrate, temperature or one thing else to trace cycles extra routinely. (By the way, it’s potential to make use of temperature monitoring as a proxy for cycle monitoring, however you have to be very accurate with the measurement).
As I write this, ladies’s well being is entrance and middle of the Withings web site. Picture Credit: Facsimile of the Withings dwelling web page.
“We have been very focused on health in general, with new biomarkers and innovative ways to track health. Choosing which feature will be developed next is hard. So [cycle tracking] came a little bit — maybe you’d say late — but we do want to be able to monitor activity, heart and other metrics first. We measure things that competitors are not doing, such as temperature 24/7. Nobody’s doing that on the market yet. Except us,” says Trégaro. “So now we felt that our team was ready to release this feature. I’ve learned a lot, also, doing the development of this feature. As a man, of course, to be honest, and by working with female colleagues and professionals to understand the importance of launching such a tool was really key.”
I used to be mildly stunned that the corporate couldn’t discover a product supervisor who has had the expertise of monitoring their cycles previously, however I used to be curious what Trégaro realized alongside the way in which.
“One of the biggest realizations was that around 25% of women in the world are actually having irregular cycles. So that’s a lot. In addition, something I learned is that from a doctor’s point of view, [cycle tracking is] one of the most important metrics to follow regarding overall health — as important as blood pressure for women, for example,” Trégaro explains.
Constructing the performance
Withings has been on the forefront of well being know-how for some time; constructing high-quality, enticing gear you’d wish to have in your house or in your wrist, starting from sensible scales to superior wristwatches. Every product launch has been met with anticipation and pleasure, as they constantly ship on type and performance. Persistent rumors of Apple wanting to purchase Withings refuse to die down, however no one on both aspect is keen to verify nor deny them.
Trégaro explains that menstrual cycle monitoring represents a big leap ahead in personalised well being monitoring. For too lengthy, the tech world’s method to well being has been considerably generic, specializing in step counting, coronary heart charge monitoring and sleep monitoring. Vital as these metrics are, they provide an incomplete image of a person’s well being. By integrating menstrual cycle monitoring, Withings acknowledges the advanced and nuanced nature of well being — and provides extra options to assist monitor, measure and predict.
Possibly it’s late (ironic, actually, on this planet of cycle monitoring), however the introduction exhibits Withings’ ongoing dedication to listening to its neighborhood and understanding the varied wants of its customers. To its credit score, in a market that’s crowded with devices vying for consideration, Withings has managed to carve out a distinct segment for itself by specializing in significant innovation.
The market Withings goes after with its cycle monitoring function is totally mind-bogglingly giant. The app shops are heaving with monitoring apps, and some analysts predict that the cash spent on cycle monitoring alone is at $750 million already, and can double by 2032.
Addressing this want required Withings to embark on an intensive improvement course of, which concerned each the adaption of current {hardware} and the creation of latest algorithms. Trégaro and his group spent months researching and creating, working carefully with well being professionals to make sure accuracy and reliability.
Trégaro explains that Withings purpose was not simply so as to add one other function — the group wished to combine menstrual cycle monitoring seamlessly into our customers’ well being monitoring routines, offering them with useful insights that would inform their day by day lives.
Within the U.S. specifically, interval monitoring is in the spotlight for not-great-reasons associated to abortion-related laws.
It’s reassuring, then, that Withings highlighted its dedication to privateness and safety. With delicate well being knowledge at stake, Withings says it carried out strong measures to guard customers’ info — though the corporate has additionally opened the door to syncing your knowledge with platforms like Apple Well being.
It’s price highlighting the variations between Withings and Apple’s approaches. Whereas the Apple Watch is the do-everything-mini-iPhone-on-your wrist, Withing’s watches are taking a distinct tack.
“We have our strengths [over Apple Watch]. We have a market-leading battery life of up to 30 days on our watches, compared to one or two days on the Apple Watch,” Trégaro grins. “And we have a beautiful design — almost like a real wrist watch. That allows us to have this battery life because we have a smaller screen. We focus on continuous health measurement.”
