The connected health craze continues with Nokia’s announcement of the company’s purchase of the digital health company Withings for $191 million.
In a statement sent to MobileSyrup, the president of Nokia Technologies, Ramzi Haidamus, stated that combining Withings’ award-winning products with Nokia’s “world-class expertise,” positions them to lead the next phase of digital health technology.
“Withings shares our vision for the future of digital health and their products are smart, well designed and already helping people live healthier lives,” said Haidamus.
The connected health company was originally founded in 2008 by Chairman Eric Carreel and CEO Cedric Hutchings and currently ha a head office in France with locations in the U.S., Hong Kong and Cambridge, England. In addition, the company employs approximately 200 people.
Withings produces a wide variety of smart health devices including fitness trackers, weight scales, thermometers, blood pressure monitors and baby monitors.
“Since we started Withings, our passion has been in empowering people to track their lifestyle and improve their health and wellbeing. We’re excited to join Nokia to help bring our vision of connected health to more people around the world,” said Hutchings in a statement sent to MobileSyrup.
In a blog post written by Hutchings this morning, he goes on to say that the company was originally founded to explore the possibilities of the Internet of Things.
The CEO also stated in his post that Nokia’s plans for the digital health company include preventative health and patient care.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Withings products are already compatible with over one hundred apps for iOS and Android.
Withings was one of the first companies to enter the smart health market and continues to be a leader in the space today. Rajeev Suri, the president and CEO of Nokia said in a statement that digital health has long been an area of strategic interest to Nokia and that this acquisition represents a new phase in the development of the technology company.
“With this acquisition, Nokia is strengthening its position in the Internet of Things in a way that leverages the power of our trusted brand, fits with our company purpose of expanding the human possibilities of the connected world, and puts us at the heart of a very large addressable market where we can make a meaningful difference in peoples’ lives.”
Related Reading: Withings’ Year in Review breaks down your health outcomes from 2015
[source]Nokia[/source]
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