Withings BeamO combines a 1-lead electrocardiogram, an oximeter, a digital stethoscope, and a thermometer into a single, compact unit. It is for those who need to measure such things.
It can have up to eight profiles and can share health information with your doctor or telehealth.
Please note that no actual health readouts are included for privacy.
So, let’s start with who needs this and who does not
If you are healthy and see your doctor at least twice a year, then this is a very expensive $499 device, more so if you only use the IR thermometer. The other function data is unlikely to change significantly. It is more of a gateway to convince you to buy other Withing’s products like its scales, ScanWatch, BPM Connect and a sleep analyser. All on the premise of giving you a fuller picture of your health.
If you have had or suspect heart or lung trouble, then on your doctor’s advice, you may get some benefit from frequent measurement and logging of:
- Temperature.
- A 1-lead ECG can reveal signs of Atrial Fibrillation (it is not a multi-lead ECG. It has TGA approval 493747 for a Multiple physiological parameter spot-check analysis system, home-use. See TGA later.
- Photoplethysmography (PPG): BPM and Pulse Oximeter can reveal signs of hypoxemia.
- Digital stethoscope for lungs, heart, and wide, including front and back body readings.
If you have other Withing’s devices, you can link these to your profile. Your doctor may recommend a blood pressure monitor as well (BPM Core).
Health junkies will likely already have a smartwatch that provides all bar the stethoscope function.
Setup
Wi-Fi and BT are required to access the Withing’s ecosystem. It requires personal information such as age, gender, DOB, height and email. You automatically receive advertising, and there is no way in the app to disable that.
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use are at the end. There are issues that, while not uncommon, may concern you.
Ease of Use – Pass
Some functions are very easy to use. It is just that the results after four weeks of this review don’t incentivise me (a healthy person) to use it daily, weekly or in fact at all. Yes, there is gamification and a leaderboard, but they are for fitness junkies.
The stethoscope is harder to use.
- Lung requires four front measurements and four back measurements (don’t try this alone)
- Heart requires four front measurements,
- Wide requires one front measurement
The device has haptic feedback when each measurement is completed (<60 seconds), and the mini screen shows where to measure next.
There is a guest mode for one other person to have a quick checkup.
The App – Pass
The app is most useful as a log. If you measured weekly, you would likely not recognise minor changes.
Issues
- The device frequently showed a hardware error (in red) when using the Digital Stethoscope. This could be a firmware issue (tested on V601).
TGA approved
CyberShack always checks TGA approval claims, as there is a massive difference between professional clinical approval and home use. Here is an extract. The device is:
- A non-sterile, contactless, reusable thermometer intended for the intermittent determination of human body temperature over the temporal artery as the measurement site on people of all ages.
- A digital stethoscope that enables the recording and transmission of heart and lung auscultation sound data.
- Measures, transfers, records, and displays lead I of an ECG. It calculates the heart rate and detects the presence of atrial fibrillation or sinus rhythm on an ECG waveform.
- Spot-checking of functional oxygen saturation of arterial haemoglobin (blood oxygen, or SpO2) and pulse rate (PR).
- Indicated for use with individuals 18 years and older.
- The companion app allows the device installation and displays the measurement results.
- Intended for use … by lay users in a non-clinical environment
CyberShack’s views: Withings BeamO is for peace of mind, health measurements for those who need it.
The website shouts, “BeamO is the revolutionary 4-in-1 MultiScan device for personal, family, and teleconsultation use”.
Now we are used to a bit of marketing hyperbole, but revolutionary this device ain’t! Maybe putting four measurements in one device is, at best, clever.
It does not provide “A 360° health view for real-life impact” – four measurements are more like 90°, and Withings of all should understand the issues.
“4 medical-grade sensors”. If it were, Doctors would be falling over themselves to use it. My GP is decidedly cold on whether it is useful or could cause unnecessary panic. He found the digital stethoscope recordings redundant, as it’s what he hears as a trained professional when you are there that is important.
I reviewed the KardiaMobile 6L can help identify and manage heart problems, and it is TGA approved as a 6-lead emulation of an ECG. It is $299 outright, and typical users don’t need the optional KardiaCare subscription. My GP supports this as it identifies Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with PVCs, Sinus Rhythm with SVE, and Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS
IR (non-contact) thermometers are everywhere, starting at $20.
Digital Stethoscopes are a tad more expensive ($600+) and do Wide, lung and heart (as does BeamO).
So as an all-in-one device, and with your doctor’s approval (more about do you need it), then it’s fine.
Rating – Pass
We won’t give it a formal rating as we have too few benchmarks. It has passed all reasonable home user tests.
Pro
Small and pocketable
Rechargeable battery
Easy to use, apart from some stethoscope measurements
Up to eight profiles and a guest profile (each profile needs a separate phone and app)
Telehealth applications
Con
A smartwatch does most of this except stethoscope.
A Digital Stethoscope does not really give many insights to untrained users.
Really for the Withing’s ecosystem
It is not a tricorder (if you have to ask!)
Family GPs exist for a reason – your ongoing health care.
Approved for people 18 years or older (despite the website showing kids)
Ends
BeamO will be available for $499 from September 15 at JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Harvey Norman and Amazon.
1-year warranty
IP22
Designed in France and made in China
USB-C Rechargeable battery 6-8 months, depending on use frequency
Webpage https://www.withings.com/au/en/beam-o
Manual https://media.withings.com/kits/guides/2025/beam-o/AW_IFU_SCT02_ALL_INT_F_ALL_LANGUAGES_EU.pdf
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