According to an ETNews report, the Apple Watch Series 7 due later this year will feature blood glucose monitoring via an optical sensor.
Hartley Charlton for MacRumors:
Measuring blood glucose levels, also known as blood sugar levels, is vital to managing conditions such as diabetes. Normally, measuring blood glucose requires testing a drop of blood in a blood sugar meter or using an implanted continuous glucose monitor (CGM). The ability to observe any major increases or decreases in blood glucose may raise awareness of a potential health condition or simply help to improve a user’s diet.
Apple is said to have secured patents around blood glucose monitoring, and the company is now purportedly “focusing on securing reliability and stability prior to commercialization of the technology.” The Apple-designed optical sensor is believed to be a skin-top continuous monitoring solution that does not require an implant.
The company reportedly established a team of biomedical engineers and consultants specifically working on sensors for non-invasively monitoring blood sugar levels in 2017, and work on the sensor reportedly progressed to trials at clinical sites in the San Francisco Bay Area.
MacDailyNews Take: In fact, as reminded by MacDailyNews reader Wesley Eagon, Appel has been working on non-invasive blood glucose monitor for many years now: “Walt Mossberg says he talked with Steve Jobs about a non-invasive blood glucose monitor before he died [in October 2011]. Jobs said he ‘put a small group of people on it.'”
Eagon was quoting the “Ctrl-Walt-Delete” podcast, Episode 75 at 37:35-39:00:
If achieved, Apple Watch would become the essential device for hundreds of millions of people with diabetes.
If you think Apple Watch is getting big now, you haven’t seen an Apple Watch with non-invasive blood glucose monitoring.
Apple price targets will need to be adjusted upward again.
According to the International Diabetes Federation:
Non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring would indeed be the holy grail for treating diabetes.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader Wesley Eagon for the heads up.]
This would be HUGE for everyone not just diabetics. Insulin is a very powerful hormone. I was morbidly obese for more than 20 years until I started paying attention to my blood glucose levels. Calories are definitely a key part of weight management but not as much as many folks believe. As soon as I started controlling my insulin levels I lost 90lbs. I was never diagnosed as a diabetic (Type 1 or type 2). And yes that was 18 months ago and the weight has stayed off.
I’m happy for you, Tom. Good on you~ 🙂
Cook once said he wanted Apple to be know for its “health” achievements/associations (paraphrased). Advances here would further propel Apple along this way.
Go-go Apple and good story Tom…love hearing that kind of break through and life change!
(Now, if only MDN would experience a break through with the Edge ad that pops up every 20 secs.)
I use an ad blocker. Never seen that ad. BTW happy to pay a sub not to see ads.
If that were actually possible, there’s no way Apple should be valued less than Tesla. Non-invasive glucose monitoring would be mega-huge for almost everyone’s health monitoring. Honestly, I can’t believe such a thing is possible for Apple to figure it out while the rest of the health community was unable to do so. If Apple has figured it out, I hope it’s completely and thoroughly patented by Apple. Apple is always getting screwed by stolen IP. It just seems as though someone is pulling a prank and setting up Apple for a big letdown. Nah, it’s highly unlikely Apple figured it out. It’s just too good to believe.
Now just add non-invasive roaming and we will have a great watch.
I prefer invasive.
Sounds like fake news before earnings.
In my entire life, I’ve never had a yearning for a watch of any kind or brand, BUT, if non-invasive blood glucose monitoring turns out to be true, I may just buy one of those bulky square watches from Apple, being Type 2 diabetic.
Although, with age, weight, heart issues, diabetes, I’m not so certain I want to be reminded daily on just how bad of shape I’m in.
I am also type-2 but I would want to know how bad a shape I am in….that would motivate me to be better at fixing the problem. Finally a real reason to buy the watch (I own numerous ads, an iPhone 12, and a bunch of HomeKit friendly stuff…but never felt the need for the watch before.
Go Apple…..
Current Continuous Glucose monitors measure sugar in the fluid under your skin – not directly in your blood. The glucose measurements they get are 20 to 30 minutes delayed from what is actually going on in your blood. If Apple gets this right this is a big deal since current attempts at automated insulin pumps are dependent on these delayed glucose measurements making them limited and only somewhat useful.
I doubt they will be accurate right off the bat, but they may be able to tell you if headed up or headed down, which would be helpful.
“I doubt they will be accurate right off the bat”
Do you REALLY think Apple would launch an inaccurate BGM? Seriously?
Can you imagine the litigation, especially in the compensation-culture USA?
Absolutely correct…a “you’re holding it wrong” with such a feature might not have much value, but a lot of ridicule and litigation…as mentioned.