Skip to main content

The $180 Nokia Steel HR hybrid smartwatch is back, but numbers are limited

Nokia Steel HR
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Remember Withings? The French health and fitness technology company was acquired by Nokia in 2016, and at the beginning of this year the decision was made to get rid of the Withings name in favor of a complete Nokia rebrand. The reason, Nokia said, is that its name is better known around the world. On the list of products it would rebrand was the Withings Steel HR hybrid smartwatch, but the device itself was held back from release after a number failed quality control checks.

Nokia has apparently cured the problems, and the Steel HR with Nokia branding is available for pre-order through Nokia’s own website. It costs $180, or 170 British pounds, but if you want one this year, we suggest you don’t think too long about buying one. Nokia warns the pre-order supplies are limited, without going into detail about how long they’re expected to last, or if any particular models are more plentiful than others.

The Steel HR is the more technically capable sister watch to the Nokia Steel, a rebranded version of the Withings Activité Steel. The primary difference is the inclusion of a heart rate monitor, and an accompanying digital display on the watch face. The heart rate tracker provides continuous monitoring while exercising, and at-a-glance data is shown on the small display. It also shows other fitness-related data, including calories burned and distance traveled, plus certain notifications sent from the Bluetooth-linked smartphone.

All these metrics were previously only visible in the Nokia Health Mate app, which has also been upgraded for use with the Steel HR watch, showing more comprehensive workout data based on your heart rate. In addition to fitness, the Steel HR will track your sleep if you wear it at night, and has a smart alarm to wake you up during a light sleep stage. The internal battery returns 25 days of use before needing a recharge, and the device has water resistance to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming.

Nokia offers a choice of white and black body colors, and in either 36mm or 40mm watch sizes, plus you can choose between leather, silicone, or woven straps in several colors. If you pre-order now, and are lucky to get one of the first models, it should arrive in December.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Fitbit Versa Lite tips and tricks to get started with your new smartwatch
Fitbit Versa Lite tips and tricks

Inspired by the original Versa, Fitbit's new Versa Lite is an affordable smartwatch that keeps it simple by cutting the fluff and retaining only the main health and fitness tracking features people use the most. And even though it's pared down, the Versa Lite still has plenty of features to learn and discover.

If you've just got your own Versa Lite, we'll walk you through some of our favorite tips and tricks to help you use your new smartwatch to its fullest potential.
How to set up the Fitbit Versa Lite

Read more
Withings new Pulse HR is a customizable, connected fitness tracker
withings pulse hr angles

Fresh from its split from Nokia, Withings is on a roll releasing its second health and fitness device, the Pulse HR. Inspired by the company's first fitness tracker, the Pulse, the new Withings Pulse HR takes the best features of its recently released Steel HR Sport hybrid watch and bundles them into a slim and stylish fitness tracker.

Withings is known for paying attention to design as well as features, and this characteristic is apparent in the Pulse HR. The watch has a sleek design with a black, scratch-resistant polycarbonate front, a black-and-white OLED display, and a stainless steel casing. The casing houses the heart rate monitor, which sits flush against your skin. The Pulse HR also features a soft silicone band that is removable so owners can customize their watch to match their style.

Read more
This $4,000 titanium beauty is the ultimate square G-Shock
The G-Shock MRG-B5000B.

Do you want the very best Casio offers in manufacturing, design, and technology from your new G-Shock, all wrapped up in that highly recognizable square case? In other words, the ultimate version of a truly classic G-Shock watch? If so, the new MRG-B5000B is exactly the model you will want, provided cost is no object. We’ve been wearing it.
What makes MR-G so special?
Although Casio is best known for tough watches that won’t break the bank, Casio also has decades of watchmaking experience, and it showcases its talents most effectively in its highly exclusive MR-G family of watches. These models, its most luxurious, are assembled by hand on Casio’s Premium Production Line located in the Yamagata factory in Japan, where only the company’s most experienced, specially certified technicians work on the top MT-G and MR-G models.

The square G-Shock is one of the most popular models, having been around since the G-Shock brand first started in the early 1980s, and bringing it to the luxury MR-G range is going to see a lot of people reaching for their wallets. What makes it so special? It’s the first time the classic, beloved square G-Shock has been given the MR-G treatment, with most other MR-G models over the past few years featuring an analog dial. There's a huge section of an already large fan base waiting for this.

Read more