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Whoop will soon offer paid users access to on-demand video consultations with doctors as it looks to stay ahead of growing competition from rivals such as Google’s Fitbit and other health tracking platforms.
The new feature to connect users with on-demand clinicians will currently be available for Whoop members in the United States, the fitness wearable brand said on Friday, May 9.
It is part of Whoop’s expansion of its membership experience that looks to connect users’ continuous biometric data with medical guidance in real time. Whoop also announced a suite of new health and AI-driven features that will be rolled out to members globally. While most of these new features are expected to be included in the membership package, Whoop’s live video consultation for US-based members will reportedly come at an additional cost.
However, the exact pricing and details of the option will be revealed when the feature is launched in the next few months, as per the company.
Whoop’s announcement came on the heels of the debut of Google’s new wearable device called the Fitbit Air, a lightweight, screenless fitness tracker designed for users seeking a simpler, less distracting health-tracking experience. It marks the tech giant’s latest push into AI-powered health and wellness technology.
Whoop’s latest fitness tracking wristband, the Whoop 5.0, is also a screen-free wearable that collects the wearer’s data pertaining to their sleep, daily physical activity, recovery, stress, and overall health. It offers three subscription tiers: Whoop One ($199 a year), Whoop Peak ($239 a year), and Whoop Life ($359 a year), each with differences in software and hardware.
Currently, Whoop has over 2.5 million users globally, and it closed a $575 million funding round in March that raised the company’s valuation to $10.1 billion.
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“Whoop is a membership, and we take that seriously. We’re always asking how we can deliver more value to our members, and these upcoming features are some of the most meaningful we’ve ever built,” said Ed Baker, chief product officer of Whoop.
“As our data and coaching insights have become more advanced and personalized, the next step is giving members access to a comprehensive understanding of their overall health,” Whoop CEO Will Ahmed was quoted as saying by CNBC.
Also Read | Google unveils Whoop killer: Fitbit Air aims at sleep, recovery, and continuous tracking
Under the new option, US members will get clinician access on the Whoop app. On the other end, the doctor will have access to the member’s health data collected by their Whoop device, along with their medical history and any available bloodwork results. However, the company has emphasised that its video consultation feature is not intended to replace a primary doctor or emergency service.
In terms of user privacy and security, Whoop announced a partnership with digital database company HealthEx that will be tasked with storing and synching electronic health records of members, who will be able to edit or revoke access at any time. But the exact measures that Whoop plans to take to ensure that a member’s medical records remain confidential are unclear.
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In order to further personalise the membership experience, Whoop announced new AI features such as My Memory and Proactive Check-Ins.
With My Memory, members can use Whoop’s AI insights to adjust their fitness goals and information based on major life events such as welcoming a new child. Similarly, Proactive Check-Ins is designed to provide recommendations on a member’s sleep or training plan based on upcoming events such as a vacation.
Also Read | How screenless wearables like Whoop and Oura ring are making discreet fitness tracking popular
Other updates announced by Whoop include workout auto-detection mode, a Strength Trainer feature that tracks your personal bests, and a more accurate heart rate tracker for both workouts and daily activity. Its existing journal feature has also been updated to let users log any changes to their behaviors, new supplements, and life changes either through text or voice. Whoop AI will then provide more personalised insights based on information available in a member’s journal.
