Apple Watch could soon help you monitor glucose levels continuously

In early 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly shared his belief that Apple could make a “significant contribution” to the world of health care. It seems the company behind the popular iPhone is slowly but steadily on the path to make that belief a reality. According to a recent interview with Dexcom CEO Kevin Sayer, the Apple Watch might soon be able to help diabetes patients keep track of  their glucose levels on the fly with a flick of the wrist.

Dexcom is a San Diego-based medical equipment company that designs and manufactures continuous glucose monitoring systems for diabetes patients. Launched in 2018, the Dexcom G6 is the company's latest model, and it can function without any fingerstick-based calibration. In a recent interview held by CNBC for Mad Money, Sayer said that a G6 upgrade for the Apple Watch would be “great for people with diabetes.”

Dexcom is expected to be working on a new and improved G7 model along with updated iterations of the outgoing G6, which will feature a direct-to-Apple Watch feature allowing users to consult their Apple smartwatch to get a reading from the Dexcom sensor. The CEO did not reveal when the new Apple Watch integration would happen. Currently, the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring system costs about $349 (Rs 25,000 approximately).

In related news, Apple announced at its WWDC event earlier this month that it was working on an updated version of watchOS for the Apple Watch. watchOS 6 is expected to be something of an overhaul for the watch-based operating system. Apple could introduce a new “Dose” app that reminds users to take their medicines on time, along with a “Cycles” app to track menstrual cycles. The update is also expected to come with apps like calculator, voice memos, and audiobooks.

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Vignesh Giridharan

Progressively identifies more with the term ‘legacy device’ as time marches on. View Full Profile