Nokia to Acquire Health Tracking Firm Withings in $192 Million Deal

[MacRumors]

Nokia this morning announced it will buy French health tracking company Withings for an estimated $192 million, as the company seeks to re-establish itself in the consumer electronics market.

Withings makes iOS-compatible smart connected home products as well as a range of health and fitness wearables such as the Go activity tracker and its stylish Activité smartwatch range. The company's products sync with its Health Mate iOS app, which lets users track their activity, weight, and food consumed, and interact with friends to reach fitness goals, among other features.

Nokia has focused on its network equipment business and commercial VR solutions since it sold its mobile division to Microsoft in 2013. The Finnish firm's most recent high-profile product announcement was its $60,000 Ozo VR capture camera aimed at the film industry, but the latest announcement marks a significant shift for the company as it looks to expand into consumer digital health and the Internet of Things sector.

President and CEO of Nokia Rajeev Suri commented on the acquisition in a press release announcing the move.

We have said consistently that digital health was an area of strategic interest to Nokia, and we are now taking concrete action to tap the opportunity in this large and important market. With this acquisition, Nokia is strengthening its position in the Internet of Things in a way that leverages the power of our trusted brand, fits with our company purpose of expanding the human possibilities of the connected world, and puts us at the heart of a very large addressable market where we can make a meaningful difference in peoples' lives.

The acquisition will see Withings' 200 employees integrated into Nokia Technologies when the deal goes through later in the year.

Article Link: Nokia to Acquire Health Tracking Firm Withings in $192 Million Deal

 

[iGeek2014]

So long as when using the scales to weigh myself it doesn't play Grande Valse ;-).

 

[Mr. C.]

I’m hoping for the best. I’ve so far liked the Withings ecosystem better than others by competitors.

 

[Col4bin]

A little late to the party Nokia?

 

[Dr.Chroma]

Nokia could be a contender down the road. They have watched all the big players and hopefully will learn from their mistakes. Nokia has been around for a long time. New market, let's see what happens.

 

[beanbaguk]

This is crap news. I'm a massive Withings fan and I have so far loved their products.

I've got the scales, a couple of activités (one for me and one for the wife), the webcam and the blood pressure monitor. It's all excellent stuff.

Nokia will just add red-tape and bloat to the organisation and slow down innovation and progress. Not happy.

 

[Kabeyun]

I didn't realize Nokia was in a position to buy something that expensive.

 

[Dilster3k]

You either go the Microsoft route and pick yourself up, or the Blackberry route and just rot to death.

 

[norge]

I didn't realize Nokia was in a position to buy something that expensive.

Nokia has bought Alcatel-Lucent at the beginning of this year this was round about 17bn $ so this is just peanuts....

 

[Stella]

Excellent news!

I'm looking forward to Nokia re-establishing themselves in a consumer market.

 

[ogun7]

Nokia could be a contender down the road. They have watched all the big players and hopefully will learn from their mistakes. Nokia has been around for a long time. New market, let's see what happens.

I hope they are able to manage and scale Withings properly. I want to be optimistic.

 

[joueboy]

I don't think Samsung is lacking the ability to track health. More like they acquired this company to make a fashionable watch. Because their watches are like Casio of smartwatch, as opposed to Apple they're marketing it as a luxurious and premium.

 

[modeyabsolom]

I don't think Samsung is lacking the ability to track health. More like they acquired this company to make a fashionable watch. Because their watches are like Casio of smartwatch, as opposed to Apple they're marketing it as a luxurious and premium.

What are you on about? It's Nokia not bloody Samsung! Oh and your user name is offensive.

 

[jonnysods]

Way to beat everyone to the wearable punch.

Having said that I love Nokia. Used their phone all the time back in the day pre-iPhone.

 

[ipedro]

I'm officially nervous. I really like Withings and own several of their health and home products and planned to build out my smart home with more of them.

Considering what happened to Nest after it was acquired, I'm concerned that Nokia will pick a side and close out some of their customers.

That said, Nokia is an innovative company and not necessarily tied to an operating system overlord. Maybe this will be a good thing. I just hope they don't disrupt the good thing that Withings has going.

 

[bpcookson]

I love my scale but the watch was rather disappointing. Just replaced it with a $200 Tissot, though still looking forward to Apple Watch iteration.

Anyway, the thermo looks really promising. I hope they keep building out their catalog despite the big-business-buyout.

 

[Eduardo1971]

I don't think Samsung is lacking the ability to track health. More like they acquired this company to make a fashionable watch. Because their watches are like Casio of smartwatch, as opposed to Apple they're marketing it as a luxurious and premium.

Did you even read the article? Talk about knee-jerk reaction.

Focusing back to the article-I love my Withings scale and use my Withings Healthmate iOS application on a daily basis. I've been tempted to buy their watches but keep holding out for v2.0 of the Apple Watch.

Hopefully Nokia doesn't change Withings too much.

 

[avanpelt]

I love my scale but the watch was rather disappointing.

Just curious...what were you disappointed with? I love my Activité Pop. It tracks everything I want it to track, seems reasonably accurate, and it has 8 month battery life.

 

[Stella]

A little late to the party Nokia?

Not when your buying an established product!

Its never too late - Apple have proven that a few times.

 

[Razeus]

Crap. I was hoping Microsoft would snatch them up.

 

[LarryJW]

The company didn't sell itself to Nokia. The owner wanted to cash out and exchanged his company for money and sell his employees down the river.

 

[ck2875]

I really love a lot of the Withings products. I hope Nokia only allows them to have the funding to pump out more great products. If Google or Facebook had bought them I would have been a lot more upset given their tendency to buy things only to acquire talent and wind down their business.

 

[PlutoPrime]

Noooooooooooooo!

I own most of the Whitings products and they're such a great small company. Nokia has managed to ruin everything they touch so far. Please don't ruin this one

 

[PedCrossing]

Another nervous owner here. Was going to buy an activite for my mom, now I'm not so sure. Please don't kill it Nokia!

 

[_mdavenport]

Dang. I'm a fan of Withings, not so much of Nokia :/