The Apple Watch's non-invasive blood glucose monitoring is likely at the top of consumers' wish lists, and now a new partnership with a British startup could bring it one step closer.
As The Telegraph reported, Apple was listed as the largest customer of British electronics startup Rockley Photonics. Rockley Photonics has developed non-invasive optical sensors to detect several blood-related health metrics, including blood pressure, blood sugar and blood alcohol levels, many of which can normally only be detected using more invasive specialized medical equipment. Rockley's sensors shine infrared light through the user's skin, similar to the existing sensors on the back of the Apple Watch for detecting heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Rockley's disclosure that its largest customer is Apple came as the company prepares to go public in New York. The company's filing states that Apple has accounted for the majority of its revenue over the past two years and that it has an ongoing supply and development agreement with the company under which it expects to continue to rely heavily on Apple.
Apple Watch could receive an extended module
Given the growth of Rockley Photonics and the scope of the partnership between Apple and the company, it seems virtually inevitable that the company's health sensor technology will appear in the Apple Watch sooner rather than later. As things stand, Rockley is working on two modules, a basic and an advanced module.
basic version:
- heart rate
- O2 saturation
- Blood pressure
- fluid intake
- core body temperature
Advanced module:
- blood sugar (glucose)
- carbon monoxide
- lactate
- alcohol content
The company is promoting the expanded module for use in "high-end smartwatches." According to Rockley, the new sensors will be available as early as next year. The Apple Watch Series 8 could therefore already benefit. (Photo by Denis Rozhnovsky / Bigstockphoto)
