Summary of Withings GO activity tracker teardown
This article details the teardown of the Withings GO, an affordable activity and sleep tracker. The author disassembles the device to analyze its components and estimate manufacturing costs against its retail price. Using basic tools like a knife and tweezers, the internal parts are revealed, focusing on the battery replacement mechanism and the specific cell used to power the e-ink display unit.
Parts used in the Withings GO:
- Tracker with e-ink display
- Round plastic casing
- Wristband
- Belt clip
- Opening tool (plastic coin)
- Panasonic 3V CR2032 battery
For this first edition of the hardware teardown, we’re dissecting technology and lifestyle brand Withings’ cheapest activity and sleep tracker: the Withings GO.  Since they launched their first connected weighing scale back in 2010 (the WiFi Body Scale), I’ve been a big fan of Withings. They make beautiful products that integrate seamlessly with their online platform and that seem to have a very decent lifespan: that scale I bought in 2010 still works just fine (although I recently upgraded to the new Body Cardio to get some of the new features).
In this post, we’ll be treating their small activity tracker less kindly: we open up the casing, look at all of the main components and what they do, and try to recreate the BOM (Bill Of Material) and COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) to determine the actual cost of this tracker retailing for €69,99.
When you open the box, there are 4 items in it. First off, the tracker itself, with an e-ink display in a round plastic casing. Then a wristband, to wear the GO as a watch, and a clip to attach it to your pant pocket or belt. Finally, the packaging includes a small plastic coin with which you can open the back of the tracker to replace the battery.
I used only basic tools to take this tracker apart: a cutting knife, tweezers, and a USB microscope.
First, we removed the battery. This is easy: you can simply open the back of the casing with the included tool or with a regular coin. The included battery turned out to be a Panasonic 3V CR2032 with a capacity of 225mAh. In other words, it could power a device consuming 225mA for one hour.
Read more: Withings GO activity tracker teardown
- What items are included in the Withings GO box?
The box contains the tracker with an e-ink display, a wristband, a clip for pants or belt, and a small plastic coin. - How do you open the back of the tracker to replace the battery?
You can use the included plastic coin tool or a regular coin to pry open the back casing. - What type of battery does the Withings GO use?
The device uses a Panasonic 3V CR2032 battery with a capacity of 225mAh. - Can the battery be replaced by the user?
Yes, the article confirms that the battery is easily removed by opening the back of the casing. - What tools were used to take apart the tracker?
The author used a cutting knife, tweezers, and a USB microscope for the teardown. - What is the retail price of the Withings GO mentioned in the text?
The tracker retails for €69,99 according to the article. - Does the battery have enough power for one hour at high consumption?
Yes, the 225mAh capacity means it could power a device consuming 225mA for one hour.
