Rumors continue to swirl that Apple is planning to add support for blood sugar level monitoring with a future Apple Watch release, but it’s a feature the company hasn’t been able to make happen so far. Now it seems like the closest thing we’ll get is a third-party device that offers the same functionality and can connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth. It is now first available without a prescription.
Future Apple Watch Features?
Following the FDA’s claim that any smartwatch that claims to be able to measure blood sugar levels is simply lying, the same company has now approved Dexcom’s Stelo glucose biosensor system to be available without a prescription. The product connects to your iPhone via Bluetooth, and although the FDA says it can’t be used by people diagnosed with low blood sugar or prescribed insulin, it’s still likely to be useful for people without diabetes. Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.
“The Stelo Glucose Biosensor System uses a wearable sensor combined with an application installed on the user’s smartphone or other smart device to continuously measure, record, and record glucose values in people aged 18 years and older who do not use insulin. Analyze and label. Hypoglycemia is not a concern,” the FDA explains. “Users can wear each sensor for up to 15 days before replacing it with a new sensor. The device displays blood glucose readings and trends every 15 minutes in the accompanying app.”
However, the FDA also noted that “users should not make medical decisions based on the device’s output without consulting a health care provider.”
The device appears to be accurate, which is of course a key factor in an operation like this. “Clinical study data provided to the FDA indicate that this device performs similarly to other iCGMs,” the FDA said. “Side effects reported in the study included local infection, skin irritation, and pain or discomfort.”
Of course, non-invasive blood sugar monitoring devices are a major goal for the company right now, and that’s exactly what Apple hopes to deliver with its future Apple Watch products. There have been constant rumors that Apple’s roadmap includes such a feature, but so far they haven’t been able to get the product to work in an acceptable way.
It’s likely that one day we’ll see an Apple Watch that can monitor the wearer’s blood sugar levels, but it’s likely to be a few years away from launch. This means that it is highly unlikely that it will be released in 2024 alongside the launch of the so-called Apple Watch X.
As Reuters reported last month, the FDA has previously made a lot of noise about how unreliable smartwatches are when it comes to measuring blood sugar levels. Health officials warned that they are “working to ensure that manufacturers, distributors and sellers do not illegally sell unauthorized devices claiming to measure blood sugar levels.”