If you are expecting new health sensors to be introduced with a new Apple Watch, you might have to wait until the end of this decade. In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says the blood glucose monitoring technology is coming, but it will take three to seven years.
In February, the journalist had already reported that this technology is still “years of work ahead,” although progress has been made. Apple has been using a chip technology known as silicon photonics and optical absorption spectroscopy to develop this blood glucose monitor.
Gurman says the system uses lasers to emit specific wavelengths of light into an area below the skin where there is interstitial fluid that can be absorbed by glucose. The sensor then reflects the light to indicate the glucose concentration. An algorithm determines a person’s blood glucose level.
Now, the journalist said in his newsletter that Apple still “needs to perfect the algorithms and on-board sensors” before bringing this technology to the market. Another crucial point it’s the need to “shrink it down to the size of a module that can fit in the small and thin package that is an Apple Watch.”
Due to that, Gurman believes it can take three to seven years for Apple to introduce an Apple Watch with this technology. Meaning it could arrive between Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Series 16.
In a past report, Bloomberg said that Apple has been testing this glucose technology on “hundreds of people” over the past decade, and its goal now is to develop a prototype device about the size of an iPhone that can be strapped to a person’s bicep.
With that in mind, Apple could ultimately launch an FDA-approved accessory to work alongside n upcoming Apple Watch model that can make the reading right.
BGR will keep reporting on new sensors coming to the Apple Watch.
