Apple Watch glucose monitoring project gets encouraging update

Skip to main content Apple Watch Apple Watch glucose monitoring project gets encouraging update Ryan Christoffel | May 26 2026 - 6:53 am PT 1 Comment Apple has reportedly been working for many years to bring noninvasive glucose monitoring to the Apple Watch. And according to a new report, the project might have recently hit a notable turning point. Apple Watch glucose monitoring project has a new leader, which some see as key sign of progress This weekend in his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman wrote about the future of the Apple Watch. He shared what to expect from watchOS 27 and provided an update on a key moonshot project in the works. Mark Gurman writes at Bloomberg: A potential breakthrough could come from Apple’s long-running noninvasive glucose monitoring project. First conceived during the Steve Jobs era, the effort aims to develop sensors capable of detecting elevated blood sugar levels without requiring finger pricks or blood draws. Recently, Apple shifted oversight of the project from platform architecture chief Tim Millet to Zongjian Chen, the senior engineering leader overseeing the Advanced Technologies Group and hardware like modems. Some view the transition as a sign the work may finally be progressing to a point where Chen, known as someone who delivers, can ramp up development of the technology into an eventual consumer-grade offering. This leadership transition was originally mentioned in a report last week, among many other Johny Srouji-driven shakeups. However, the context of how this move is being perceived within Apple is important. If Chen is known inside the company as “someone who delivers,” and this transition is seen as a sign of progress, then the transfer of responsibility from Millet to Chen could signal a key milestone being reached. That doesn’t mean we’ll see the Apple Watch gain noninvasive glucose monitoring this year, or even next year. It could still be several years away. However, this movement of responsibility is an encouraging sign of Apple making meaningful progress toward accomplishing its moonshot goal. Best Apple Watch accessories AirPods Pro 3 Portable USB-C charger for Apple Watch Retro Mac stand for Apple Watch Nightstand Mode Anker 20W USB-C charging brick Metal adjustable link Apple Watch band FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: Comments Expand Close comments Expand Close comments Guides Apple Watch Apple Watch is Apple's wearable is designed to h… Author Ryan Christoffel iryantldr Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.