Dexcom® Announces Follow App is Now Available for Android Devices Caregivers and Loved Ones of People with Diabetes Now Have Access to Life-Saving Glucose Data on their Android Devices
SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dexcom, Inc., (NASDAQ:DXCM), a leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with diabetes, announced today that the Dexcom Follow app is now compatible with Android devices. The app is a component of the Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Continuous Glucose Monitor System with Share™, the industry’s first mobile-connected CGM system. Already available to iOS-enabled devices, the Follow app allows family members, friends and caregivers (“Followers”) to remotely view a loved one’s glucose data and trends on their smart device, giving them peace of mind and reassurance when they are apart. CGM users (“Sharers”) can invite up to five Followers to view their glucose information via the Follow app. The Followers can view the Sharer’s glucose data and trends, as well as choose to receive alerts and notifications when the Sharer’s glucose levels are outside specified ranges.
So to clarify: the “Sharer” (the person wearing the sensor) still has to have an iPhone to send their data to the Cloud but the Followers can now pull it down from an Android.
I must be out of the loop. I don’t get “sharing” at all. Like sharing Pandora stations, or whatever. Now people share their CGM readings??? I must be too old, I guess. I JUST DON’T GET IT!! I don’t “twitter” or “tweet” or “like”, yet I’m on the 'net a lot. Must be a generational thing.
I understand it more as a we really don’t what this may be good for yet. There are some things, like parents who get some peace from remotely monitoring their children. I expect some of those “children” may be in their 20s, 30s, or even older. Of course, turn about would work. Children getting some comfort from being able to see a diabetic parents numbers.
I expect there are a bunch of privacy and boundary issues related to this. I’m always gobsmacked when I see, for example, the posts from someone who doesn’t even want people to know he wears a CGM sensor. I can’t begin to imagine what his reaction to sharing those results in some more public venue might be. I don’t doubt the sincerity of his feelings, but I do doubt I’ll ever be able to empathize.
So, attitudes and uses for this will probably evolve with time. But it’s an interesting new approach simply because no one is quite sure how or why to use it. Yet.
Like @Shadow2 says, I believe it’s primarily targeted at parents of kids with Type 1. There was a post on TUD from a mom using it a while back.
I can give you one example: I use it while bike riding. I have an iPhone holder on my handlebars, and when I start out on my ride I bring the app up and leave it running on my phone. I switch off the “sleep” setting on the phone so I can monitor my BG in realtime as I’m riding. This has been a huge help because I have a lot of problems with BG dropping or being unpredictable when I’m exercising, and I this way I can keep an eye on what’s happening without having to stop and get out the Dex receiver, or trying to dig into my pocket for it while riding and risk dropping the thing or crashing into something or both. I LOVE THIS FEATURE.
Of course, turn about would work. Children getting some comfort from being able to see a diabetic parents numbers.
