Apple has reportedly been working for many years to develop noninvasive glucose monitoring technology for the Apple Watch. The project, first conceived during the Steve Jobs era, aims to create sensors capable of detecting elevated blood sugar levels without requiring finger pricks or blood draws. According to a new report, the effort may have reached a notable turning point.

A New Leader at the Helm

In his latest Power On newsletter, journalist Mark Gurman detailed changes in the leadership of Apple's noninvasive glucose monitoring project. Gurman reported that oversight of the project was recently shifted from Tim Millet, Apple's platform architecture chief, to Zongjian Chen, the senior engineering leader overseeing the Advanced Technologies Group and hardware like modems. This transition is seen by some inside Apple as a clear signal that the work is finally progressing to a stage where Chen, known internally as 'someone who delivers,' can ramp up development into a consumer-grade product.

The leadership shift was first mentioned in a broader report about organizational changes driven by Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. The context of how this move is perceived within Apple is crucial. Chen's reputation for delivering complex hardware projects—such as Apple's custom modem chips—suggests that the glucose monitoring technology is moving from research toward product engineering.

Background on Apple's Glucose Monitoring Ambitions

Apple's interest in noninvasive glucose monitoring dates back to the early 2010s, with the company quietly acquiring startups and filing patents related to optical sensors and spectroscopy. The ultimate goal is to integrate a sensor into the Apple Watch that can continuously monitor blood glucose levels without breaking the skin. Such a feature would be transformative for the millions of people with diabetes, as well as for those looking to manage their metabolic health.

Developing a reliable noninvasive glucose sensor has proven extremely challenging. Many other companies, including Google (now Alphabet) and Samsung, have pursued similar technologies but have struggled with accuracy, calibration, and miniaturization. Apple's approach involves using a silicon photonics chip that shines light through the skin to measure glucose concentration—a method that requires extremely sensitive components and complex algorithms.

What This Means for the Apple Watch

While the leadership change is encouraging, it does not mean that noninvasive glucose monitoring will appear in the next Apple Watch or even the one after that. Gurman emphasized that the technology could still be several years away from a commercial launch. However, moving responsibility from Millet, who oversees platform architecture, to Chen, who leads hardware development, indicates that the project is transitioning from a research phase into a product development phase.

Chen's track record includes overseeing Apple's custom silicon for modems and other connectivity chips, as well as the Advanced Technologies Group's work on wireless technologies. His involvement suggests that Apple is now focused on engineering a manufacturable, reliable sensor that can be integrated into the tight confines of a smartwatch. This is a significant step beyond the laboratory experiments that have characterized the project for years.

The Path to Production

Bringing noninvasive glucose monitoring to the Apple Watch requires solving numerous engineering challenges. The sensor must be accurate enough for medical use, consume minimal power, and fit within the watch's small form factor. Apple has filed patents for technologies that use multiple wavelengths of light to measure glucose, as well as methods to correct for skin pigmentation, sweat, and other variables.

A major hurdle is regulatory approval. If Apple intends to market the feature for health purposes—such as diabetes management—it will likely need clearance from agencies like the FDA. That process can take years and requires extensive clinical trials. Even if the sensor proves technically feasible, the regulatory pathway could delay its introduction.

Despite these challenges, the shift to Chen's team is a strong indicator that Apple believes the fundamental science is sound. The company has a history of taking on difficult engineering problems—such as the transition to Apple Silicon, Face ID, and the iPhone's camera system—and eventually succeeding. The glucose monitoring project fits into that pattern of long-term investment.

Broader Implications for Health Wearables

If Apple succeeds, it would revolutionize the wearable health market. Continuous glucose monitoring is currently only possible with devices that require a tiny sensor inserted under the skin, like the Dexcom G7 or Abbott FreeStyle Libre. A noninvasive Apple Watch sensor would eliminate the need for consumables and make glucose data accessible to a much broader population.

Beyond diabetes, noninvasive glucose monitoring could help people understand how their bodies respond to different foods, exercise, and stress. This has potential applications in weight management, athletic performance, and general wellness. Apple has positioned the Apple Watch as a health device, and adding such a capability would strengthen its value proposition significantly.

Competitors are also racing toward this goal. Samsung has announced plans for a noninvasive glucose sensor in its Galaxy Watch, though no product has materialized yet. Other startups, such as Know Labs, are developing standalone sensors. Apple's advantage lies in its integration with a popular wearable platform and its ability to tightly couple hardware, software, and services.

What to Expect from watchOS 27

While the glucose monitoring project is a long-term endeavor, Gurman's newsletter also touched on nearer-term Apple Watch developments. watchOS 27, expected to be announced at WWDC in June, is rumored to include new health tracking features, improved workout metrics, and possibly a redesigned interface for the watch. However, no glucose monitoring functionality is anticipated in this upcoming software release.

Apple typically reserves major new health sensors for hardware updates. The next Apple Watch, likely the Series 11 or Ultra 3, is not expected to include glucose monitoring. Analysts believe the earliest possible debut would be in 2028 or later, given the engineering and regulatory hurdles.

In the meantime, Apple continues to refine existing health features such as blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, and temperature sensing. These features have laid the groundwork for the company's expertise in optical sensor design and signal processing—core competencies that will be essential for a glucose sensor.

The leadership move to Zongjian Chen is the latest in a series of organizational changes aimed at accelerating product development. Chen's team is also responsible for Apple's in-house modem project, which aims to replace Qualcomm components in iPhones. That project has faced delays, but Apple remains committed to controlling more of its supply chain. The parallel with glucose monitoring is clear: both are ambitious, multi-year efforts that require deep technical skill and patience.

Apple's willingness to reassign its most capable hardware executives to the glucose monitoring project underscores the company's confidence in the technology's potential. It also reflects a broader strategy of investing heavily in health features as a differentiator for the Apple Watch. The device already accounts for a significant portion of Apple's wearable revenue, and a breakthrough health sensor could drive a new upgrade cycle.

As the project moves forward, the industry will be watching for further clues. Patent filings, hiring patterns, and supply chain investments often hint at Apple's product plans. For now, the most tangible sign of progress is the leadership change, which Gurman describes as a key indicator that the moonshot effort is finally gaining traction.

Source: 9to5Mac News