Withings Launches iPhone-Connected Urine Reader That Goes in Your Toilet

[MacRumors]

Withings' U-Scan, the company's toilet-mounted health sensor first unveiled at CES 2023, is now available in both the U.S. and Europe after a two-year delay. The compact device analyzes urine samples automatically, part of Withings' latest effort to bring passive health tracking into everyday routines.

The commercial version launches with two interchangeable testing cartridges: Nutrio and Calci. Nutrio monitors nutrition and hydration indicators including ketones, vitamin C, pH, and hydration levels, while Calci tracks calcium levels that can contribute to kidney stone formation. Each cartridge provides approximately 22 tests over three months and can be swapped through the Withings Health Mate app.

U-Scan is sold in two packages. The Proactive package costs $349.95 and includes the reader, charging station, and one cartridge. The Intensive package runs $429.95 and includes two cartridges for 44 total tests. Replacement cartridges are priced at $99.95 each or $179.95 per pair, and can be automatically delivered regularly via a Withings Plus subscription.

One notable change since the original announcement is how Withings is positioning the product. The company now classifies U-Scan as a "wellness product" rather than pursuing FDA clearance, which allows it to bypass lengthy regulatory approval. The classification basically focuses the device on general health and lifestyle tracking rather than diagnostic use.

The Cycle Sync cartridge, which was originally promised for menstrual and ovulation tracking, remains delayed. Withings says it plans to bring that cartridge to market at a later date.

The U-Scan follows the recent launch of Kohler's Dekoda, an iPhone-connected gut health and hydration monitor that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim where it uses sensors to analyze your poop rather than your pee. With the launch of Withings' device, now you can do both.

Article Link: Withings Launches iPhone-Connected Urine Reader That Goes in Your Toilet

 

[jimbojoho]

This is a great idea, but like, I have to touch it, and change the cartridge out? My wife says no already...

 

[bebarhood]

First poop and now piss? This is getting out of out control!

 

[antmarobel]

Apple is going to far...what's next? Shi...t?

 

[Kissmo1980]

First poop and now piss? This is getting out of out control!

You do that anyway with your savings when you buy an iPhone.

 

[froot1988]

what a deal!!!

 

[JohannesO]

Next thing: alien probe?

 

[philstubbington]

Surely that should be wee scan not u scan?

 

[arc of the universe]

i used withings weight scales until nokia bought them out.
after nokia sold the trashed withings brand back to the original withings folks i began to use their health app.
but i found the insights from the withings health app to be without much useful information and overpriced.
i just don't think the withings company has invested enough in patents and medical research to be able to provide any useful insights. their benefit is negligible. and products overpriced.
and certainly wouldn't trust the device mentioned in this article to be accurate or useful.

i do use omron. for both weight scale / body scan, and, their blood pressure monitor. both store data in apple's Health app and in omron's very good health app.

 

[Marshall73]

Are they taking the piss?

 

[pbau]

That price tag is crazy.

 

[contacos]

You can get this done for free by your doctor in Europe

 

[DTphonehome]

Should have called it P-Scan.

 

[Happy_John]

Or you could just look at the color of your pee and, if you are that concerned, dip in a strip of litmus paper into the bowl, no direct finger contact required. Litmus paper doesn't need to be recharged and doesn't cost $350.

Honestly, there's a lot of things in life that we don't need an app or sensor for.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Sorry, I just don’t see much benefit to this (or the poop one). I don’t need to know about daily variations in body chemistry, and whatever “insights”, “advice” or suggestions the apps might make post-analysis are not likely to be anything you don’t already know and hear from your doctor regarding diet and hydration. For ovulation tracking, you can buy test strips far more inexpensively than this.

 

[Pafoofnik]

Designed by "John"-y Ive.

 

[Madhatter32]

Sorry, I just don’t see much benefit to this (or the poop one). I don’t need to know about daily variations in body chemistry, and whatever “insights”, “advice” or suggestions the apps might make post-analysis are not likely to be anything you don’t already know and hear from your doctor regarding diet and hydration. For ovulation tracking, you can buy test strips far more inexpensively than this.

The value is in following the trends -- perhaps not as much for each individual snapshot/reading.

 

[Happy_John]

The value is in following the trends -- perhaps not as much for each individual snapshot/reading.

As mammals, having the ability to see and smell already gives us the means of following the trends, in this particular case.

 

[Ratatapa]

What I'm wondering is that not everyone has 1 toilet per person, how will it work in a household?

Don't want my GF period's ****ing my pee stats lol

 

[Happy_John]

What I'm wondering is that not everyone has 1 toilet per person, how will it work in a household?

Don't want my GF period's ****ing my pee stats lol

That is a very good point.

 

[Mr_Ed]

The value is in following the trends -- perhaps not as much for each individual snapshot/reading.

What trends, though? You can track ovulation hormone trends with a cheap test strip as well, and for pretty much anything else, it seems there should be no trends of note in the analysis if you are following your doctor’s advice.

 

[centauratlas]

i used withings weight scales until nokia bought them out.
after nokia sold the trashed withings brand back to the original withings folks i began to use their health app.
but i found the insights from the withings health app to be without much useful information and overpriced.
i just don't think the withings company has invested enough in patents and medical research to be able to provide any useful insights. their benefit is negligible. and products overpriced.
and certainly wouldn't trust the device mentioned in this article to be accurate or useful.

i do use omron. for both weight scale / body scan, and, their blood pressure monitor. both store data in apple's Health app and in omron's very good health app.

I tend to agree. I have the Withings scale and only use it for weight measurement. The insights may or may not be useful, but as a scale it is fine. The app isn't great though with comments like "Well being over numbers" or some nonsense like that upon occasion. Just check the weight and stop nonsense like that. lol

 

[aespana]

A lot of ways to scam people these days.

Those prices.. subscriptions.. a false idea that this thing will offer something good..

What a times we are living right now

 

[polyphenol]

Their main page says:

Your urine holds a wealth of health information through its 3,000 metabolites, but this data usually goes unmeasured. The U-Scan Nutrio cartridge brings precise urine analysis home, tracking four essential markers to help optimize your nutrition with personalized recommendations¹.

Almost all of them still go unmeasured! Four out of three thousand is about 0.0013%.

Track your Ketone levels​

Optimize your Vitamin C levels​

Regulate your Bio-Acidity levels​

Follow your HydroStatus​

Maybe they should charge 0.0013% of their current USD379.95? About USD0.005.

Ketone, vitamin C, pH, specific gravity and several other factors can all be indicated by a simple dipstick which costs pennies. And it is accurate enough to point out where you need to look further - even if numerically rather approximate.

There is always the problem that these things can show short-term variations which are of little or no significance. If your test time, using the device or a dipstick, clashes with a high or low value of an item, you might be somewhat misled. However, if the test is inexpensive enough, you can perform several tests in a short time and see how consistent your results are.

 

[Davelfc]

I doubt anyone needs this, there are better and cheaper ways to find out most of this information. I suppose the saying ‘a fool and their money are soon parted’ is quite apt here.