For years, telehealth has promised to bring the doctor’s office to us. In reality, it’s been a video call where you awkwardly describe symptoms and hope your thermometer, pulse oximeter, or smartwatch tells enough of the story. At CES 2024, Withings showed off the BeamO– a compact, handheld gadget that combines an electrocardiogram, digital stethoscope, thermometer, and blood oxygen sensor. We saw its promise and awarded it a Techlicious Top Pick of CES. And now, the FDA has cleared the BeamO for the U.S. market.
The Withings BeamO pre-production unit we saw at CES 2024.
The appeal here is practical. Thermometers are common. So are pulse oximeters. High-end smartwatches can record ECGs. But a consumer-friendly digital stethoscope? That’s rare and critically important in telehealth settings. Doctors can’t exactly hear your lungs through Zoom. BeamO fixes that by letting physicians listen to heart and lung sounds live through the Withings app.
With FDA clearance, those ECG readings can now be used to screen for atrial fibrillation (an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm) in adults, and the device can securely share clinician-ready data during remote visits. According to Withings, the app’s HealthLink feature lets a doctor guide placement of the stethoscope in real time – turning a virtual check-in into an actual exam.
Read more: The Circular Ring 2 Can Take an ECG to Detect Heart Conditions
With a price tag of $249.95, even with FDA clearance, most households aren’t going to suddenly invest in a health scanner “just in case.” But the market is shifting. Telemedicine isn’t going away. Healthcare deserts are real. And when someone in your family is wheezing in the middle of the night, having a way to record lung sounds and share them instantly with a doctor could prevent an ER visit. BeamO won’t diagnose asthma or bronchitis, but it can help doctors make better decisions faster.
BeamO is available now in the U.S. through Withings.com for $249.95, with Amazon and select retailers to follow in early 2026. Buyers get one month of Withings+, which provides additional personalized health reports and programs (usually $9.95 per month or $99.95 per year). The price also includes a complimentary Cardio Check-Up review by a cardiologist, which should help people understand what the ECG feature can actually do for them. A Withings+ subscription is not required to use the BeamO.
[Image credit: Techlicious, Withings]
