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Dexcom introduces official ‘Follow’ glucose monitoring diabetes app for Android

Dexcom, the company behind one of the leading continuous glucose monitor solutions for diabetes patients, has announced today that their “Follow” mobile app—which has long been available on iOS—is now available for Android devices. There have been many unofficial solutions available in the past, but now Dexcom’s system is officially supported on Google’s mobile OS…

The Dexcom Follow app is just one part of the company’s G4 Platinum system with Share. The app uses what Dexcom says are “secure wireless connections” to watch glucose levels—whether it be your own or those of a loved one. You can invite up to five followers from within the app, which the company hopes will give parents, spouses, or children peace of mind when apart.

We told you last month that a developer had built an entire system of third-party solutions allowing Dexcom monitors to be fully compatible with Android. With a couple of different apps, users could use many of the same features available to iOS users of the “Follow” app, and this particular developer even created an app for monitoring glucose levels on your Android Wear device.

With the Dexcom Follow app you can:
• Monitor your loved one’s glucose activity at school or across the country on your Android phone.
• Receive glucose information from up to 5 different sharers – friends, parents and other loved ones.
• Respond quickly with the help of customizable glucose alarms and push notifications.

Dexcom’s official solution doesn’t have Android Wear support just yet, so if you’re savvy with installing some third-party applications and getting them to run, Stephen Black’s solutions might still be the better option. For those who would feel more comfortable just using the official Dexcom software, though, that option is now available. The app is free and Dexcom says that it has official support for the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z3, and HTC One M8 running Android 4.4.4 or later (although we found that it installed on our Nexus 6 just fine).

You can get the app on the Play Store for free.

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

June 02, 2015 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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.

“We are excited that the Dexcom CGM glucose data is now accessible on the Android platform, enabling more users to conveniently share their glucose readings.”

“Dexcom aims for optimal convenience and accessibility by providing our patients and their loved ones with access to the most current technology to better manage their diabetes,” stated Kevin Sayer, Chief Executive Officer of Dexcom. “We are excited that the Dexcom CGM glucose data is now accessible on the Android platform, enabling more users to conveniently share their glucose readings.”

Continuous glucose monitoring is considered the most significant breakthrough in diabetes management in the past 40 years1. The traditional standard-of-care for glucose (blood sugar) monitoring has been a finger stick meter. CGM augments the use of glucose meters for the management of diabetes. Meters are still required to calibrate CGMs and for guidance in making therapy and meal decisions. CGM is important because, in addition to providing the glucose level, it provides the direction and rate of glucose change with the push of a button and alerts users when glucose is too low or too high.

Diabetes affects 29.1 million Americans and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.2 With diabetes, the body cannot produce or use the hormone insulin effectively, causing a buildup of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. It is estimated that approximately 86 million Americans over the age of 20 years old are at risk for developing diabetes (primarily Type 2), largely due to obesity, physical inactivity and poor diet.2 People with diabetes who take insulin must monitor their blood glucose levels frequently. Uncontrolled glucose can cause health complications and even death.3,4

Dexcom’s Follow App is now available for free download through the Google Play store. Customers can also download the Dexcom Share2 and Follow apps to their iPhone® for free from the Apple® App Store and to their Apple Watch through the Apple Watch App Store.

About Dexcom, Inc.

Dexcom, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, California, develops and markets continuous glucose monitoring systems for use by diabetes patients, as well as blood glucose monitoring systems used by healthcare providers in hospital critical care settings. For more information on the Dexcom CGM, visit www.dexcom.com.

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Avatar for Stephen Hall Stephen Hall

Stephen is Growth Director at 9to5. If you want to get in touch, follow me on Twitter. Or, email at stephen (at) 9to5mac (dot) com, or an encrypted email at hallstephenj (at) protonmail (dot) com.