Apple's Big Ambitions In Health Care

The company tested the service on select employees earlier this year, part of its broader push into blood-sugar features, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is secret. Though Apple doesn't have plans to release the app, the company may eventually integrate the technology into future health products, including a non-invasive glucose tracker that it's been developing for more than a decade.

The employees involved in the test needed to validate that they were pre-diabetic with a blood test. That means they don't currently have diabetes but may be at risk of developing the type-2 version of the disease. As part of the test, they actively monitored their blood sugar via various devices available on the market and then logged glucose-level changes in response to food intake.

The idea behind the system is to show consumers how certain foods can affect blood sugar - with the hope of inspiring changes that could ward off diabetes. For instance, if users logged that they ate pasta for lunch and that their blood sugar spiked, they could be told to stop eating the pasta or switch to protein.

The study was intended to explore the possible uses for blood-sugar data and what tools the company could potentially create for consumers. For now, though, the app test has been paused to let Apple focus on other health features. A company spokesman declined to comment.

Today, glucose-testing systems typically require a blood sample, often through a finger prick. There also are small shoulder-worn patches from Abbott Laboratories and Dexcom that are less cumbersome - though they still require insertion into the skin.