Apple has been one of the leaders when it comes to tech products. One of their top devices is the Apple Watch, a revolutionary product that leads in wearable fitness tracking in recent years. Now, along with its line of features, it is speculated that the company is upgrading the already successful smartwatch in order to read blood sugar levels of its users.
Apple Watch Health Tracking for Blood Sugar Levels
Forbes reported that a British electronics start-up company, Rockley Photonics, has been working with Apple to make its smartwatch able to read blood sugar and alcohol levels for its users. It is revealed that the new technology would be integrated into the device as early as 2022.
This revelation came from Rockley Photonic's SEC filing, noting that Apple has been their largest customer for two years and they have been collaborating with the tech giant to make the technology work for Apple. Rockley Photonics CEO stated that a non-invasive sensing device will be available for customers in 2022, but it did not state if it was for Apple Watch.
With that said, Apple has been rumored to be taking the step towards integrating blood sugar reading capabilities to the Apple Watch without the nasty sting of a needle. An Apple Watch that can read blood sugar levels could be a revolutionary achievement for the company, and the rumored Apple Watch Series 7 device is said to be the company's product to do it.
However, Forbes has talked with Apple's Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, in the past and stated that having an Apple product have a non-invasive sensor feature is a challenge since it is hard to detect glucose levels with photons.
For what it's worth, in the SEC filing for Rockley Photonics, AppleInsider also reported that the company unveiled its financial details, revealing its two significant dealings. The SEC filing stated that their two largest customers accounted for 100 percent of the company's revenue in 2020 and 99.6 percent in 2019.
It is also believed that the start-up company and Apple has a continued "supply and development agreement," in which the British electronics company is working with Apple to develop future products.
Apple Watch Blood Sugar Tracker Not Yet Final?
Engadget reports that all of this is still speculation. There is still no concrete evidence that Apple will be making a new feature for its Apple Watch, and there is no guarantee that the Rockley Photonics deal will lead to shipping new products for the Cupertino-based company.
Supposedly, if Apple could build this feature in its Apple Watch, it could be beneficial to everyone, especially to people with diabetes who always keep checking sugar levels by pinching needles onto their bodies.
However, there will be other issues that the company will have to consider, like battery life, price point, and the ongoing hardware supply shortage that companies are currently experiencing due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
