For many years now, it’s been rumored that the Apple Watch will eventually gain non-invasive blood sugar monitoring capabilities, which would allow millions of people with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels without needing to prick their skin with a needle or wear a dedicated continuous glucose monitor.
According to BloombergAccording to Mark Gurman, Apple recently transferred oversight of the project from its head of platform architecture, Tim Millet, to Zongjian Chen, a senior engineer overseeing advanced technologies at the company.
He presented the change as positive news for the project, which has apparently been in development for more than 15 years.
“Some see the transition as a sign that work may finally progress to a point where Chen, known as someone who keeps his promises, can accelerate the development of the technology into an eventual mainstream offering,” he said.
In 2023, Gurman reported that Apple’s system would rely on a laser that emits light under the skin to determine a person’s blood sugar level.
“The system uses lasers to emit specific wavelengths of light into an area under the skin where there is interstitial fluid – substances that leak from capillaries – which can be absorbed by glucose,” he said. “The light is then reflected back to the sensor in a way that indicates the glucose concentration.”
An algorithm would ultimately determine a person’s blood sugar levels, and the feature could also alert users to potential signs of prediabetes.
Even though the project benefits from new leadership, it is still unlikely that the Apple Watch will benefit from non-invasive blood glucose monitoring for several years, if ever. But if Apple ultimately succeeds in achieving this goal, the Apple Watch would offer people with diabetes a more comfortable and convenient solution for tracking their blood sugar levels.
