Apple has tested an app that is especially useful for people with early stage diabetes type 2. The app should make it easier for people with prediabetes to improve their lifestyle.
According to sources from Bloomberg Apple’s app allows users to monitor their blood sugar levels and make healthier choices based on this. The app is said to have been tested internally in complete secrecy by employees with pre-stage diabetes type 2, with the aim of later integrating it into new equipment.
Prediabetes is very common, with nearly 40 percent of Americans having it. The app has not yet been announced by Apple. The tests have now reportedly been stopped because the iPhone maker is focusing on other new health functions for the time being.
Been in development for years
The app could be useful for a blood sugar meter that can externally measure glucose levels in the blood. That technology has been in development at Apple for more than ten years. The test would include continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels via various existing devices. The results end up in a log, which changes based on the food a person eats.
It will be several years before such technology can be implemented in an Apple Watch. In such a case, sensors must be considerably reduced in size.
Measuring blood values with lasers
Apple is currently working on a prototype the size of an iPhone, but there are also significant challenges, including overheating and very accurate blood sugar measurements.
The technique would use lasers to measure blood levels without piercing the skin, but currently that is only enough to determine whether someone has prediabetes.
Effect of food on your blood sugar level
The equipment must provide insight into the effect certain types of food have on blood sugar levels. In this way, users should be encouraged to make choices that reduce the risk of diabetes. For example, blood sugar levels should visibly peak after lunch with a pasta meal, after which the app will suggest healthier options.
Bloomberg asked Apple for a response, but the company did not respond. Still, the rumor provides a new glimpse into companies’ efforts to gain a foothold in consumer health tech. Like Samsung, Apple is trying to develop technology that can monitor blood sugar without drawing blood.
Samsung is also working on it
Samsung promised a similar function in its Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 earlier this year, but reviews show that the data shown by the smartwatch is hardly useful. The device does indicate whether the values are high or low, but hardly provides any background information that you can actually do anything with.
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Source: www.bright.nl
