Owners of the Nokia Body Cardio scale (formerly called the Withings Body Cardio when reviewed by Julie) may have received an email that warned them that Nokia will be removing the Pulse Wave Velocity function from all Body Cardio scales in a mandatory update.
The Pulse Wave Velocity function set the Body Cardio apart from other smart scales that calculated your BMI and measured a few other parameters as they weighed you. The PWV measurement was, in effect, a measure of how fast your blood moved through your blood vessels, which in turn was a measure of the health of the vessels. This measurement was based on previous studies, and when it was added to the Body Cardio scale, it apparently wasn’t a test that was regulated by the FDA. Now, Nokia says of the scales: “We are now learning its capabilities in the area of measurement of pulse wave velocity may require a different level of regulatory approval. In light of this, the decision was made to turn off the pulse wave velocity feature.” This removal was not prompted by the FDA; Nokia voluntarily removed the function to prevent possible future problems.
This update is mandatory and will be applied January 24, 2018; there is no way to opt out. No other functions of the Body Cardio scale will be affected by this update. For the time being, Nokia has announced they have suspended shipments of the Body Cardio scale; in a few months, they will resume shipping the scale without the PWV function.
To compensate their customers, Nokia is offering two options. You may elect a $30 credit for a future purchase of a Nokia health product at the Nokia store, or you may choose to return your Body Cardio scale for a full refund. If you refuse both of these options, you will not be allowed to change your mind in the future.
Read more about Nokia’s decision and learn how to ask for your compensation at the Nokia website.