Withings has introduced an Apple Health Sync paywall requiring all new users to pay $99.99 each year to see their weight within Apple's default Health app. The French company is known for smart scales, some of which analyze more than 60 biomarkers and offer built-in electrodes and a rechargeable battery. It has also promoted its dedicated Withings app and the products' integration with Apple Health.
However, that integration now comes at a significant cost. According to a user on the Withings forum, accounts created after October 13, 2026, must have a $99 Withings+ subscription to sync scale data with Apple Health. Existing Withings users will keep the feature for free.
The forum user called the move "an obvious cash grab," noting that writing data to Apple Health through HealthKit on an iPhone requires no server-side processing or AI agents. Withings justified the subscription with "privacy measures" and an "AI connector," saying its "mission hasn't changed" and that Withings+ "funds the services" around user data, without specifying which services. The company said users can still export their full history as CSV or PDF, import data from other apps, and share data with their doctor.
Users have largely reacted negatively, calling the decision "absolutely terrible" and "awful." The criticism is sharper because other scales, such as the $30 i Health Nexus Pro, sync with Apple Health for free, while the $599.95 Withings Body Scan 2 requires a subscription.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing