Apple’s attempts to develop a non-invasive glucose monitoring feature for Apple Watch remains “many years away” from debuting, despite over 15 years of work to make the capability a reality in a consumer device, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
The idea of a non-invasive glucose monitor originated in Apple’s Steve Jobs era, with the aim to include an Apple Watch sensor that can inform users if they are pre-diabetic so that they can take proactive steps and potentially reverse the condition. Prediabetes is a warning sign that blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. An early diagnosis allows for early intervention through lifestyle changes to prevent or delay the progression to full-blown type 2 diabetes.
Bloomberg previously reported that Apple has tested a health-focused app aimed at diabetes prevention. Last October, Gurman said that the app could help inform some of Apple’s future products related to blood sugar management, but that it wouldn’t necessarily become a consumer-facing product.
Most blood sugar tests that people currently use require a skin prick, but Apple has been trying to develop a method that uses optical absorption spectroscopy and lasers to determine the concentration of glucose in the body without puncturing the skin. Apple has reportedly been developing a silicon photonics chip that uses optical absorption spectroscopy to shine light from a laser under the skin to determine the concentration of glucose in the body.
In 2023, Apple’s blood glucose monitoring development reportedly reached a proof-of-concept stage culminating in a functional prototype device, but it was still way too large to incorporate into a device the size of the Apple Watch. Apple is said to have hundreds of engineers in its Exploratory Design Group (XDG) working on the project.
Over the weekend, Gurman also said that Apple is considering offering a new AI-powered health coaching feature that offers personalized health recommendations and lifestyle improvements via a “coaching feature.” The feature could eventually be part of a future Apple Health+ service, according to the report.
Popular Stories
iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone …
iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week – Here Are the Release Notes
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect.
There’s an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the…
What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect.
The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design.
It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information.
Relocated Charging Port
While the Magic Mouse switched from…
Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More
Apple’s big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple’s next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won’t be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this…
Six Things to Know About Apple’s Upcoming Foldable iPhone
We’ve been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We’re going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we’re hearing good things.
Apple wants to make it creaseless. It’s taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it’s satisfied with because Apple …
Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19’s Rumored New Design
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed “Solarium” internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this…
Facebook’s New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out.
That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will “bring back the joy” of classic Facebook.
Specifically, Meta has redesigned the…
iPhone Foldable Display Said to Feature iPad-Style 4:3 Aspect Ratio
Apple’s upcoming “iPhone Fold” will feature a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, according to a Chinese leaker who previously leaked the book-style device’s display dimensions.
The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple will adopt a “roughly” 4:3 aspect ratio on the inner display in order to achieve consistency between the outer display, as well as to ensure parity…
