iHealth Lab launches smartphone-friendly blood-glucose monitor
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — iHealth Lab on Thursday announced the launch of the iHealth Align, one of the world's smallest, FDA-approved mobile blood-glucose monitors, the company stated. The meter plugs directly into a smartphone, and displays and stores readings using the iHealth Gluco-Smart app. By displaying readings directly on the phone screen, iHealth was able to shrink the device size to just slightly larger than the circumference of a quarter. The compact size and mobile sync capability make iHealth Align a small and powerful new tool for diabetes management.
iHealth also announced the iHealth Simple Savings program to eliminate complexities associated with insurance paperwork by significantly lowering the price of their proprietary test strips. The new price is about one-quarter of the list price of most namebrand test strips, the company stated, placing it at or below the typical insurance co-pay contribution.
The Simple Savings program also will incorporate an option in the near future to automate test strip replenishment through the iHealth Gluco-Smart mobile app, which tracks individual test strip usage, allowing for accurate and timely refills.
"We are excited to bring the next generation of mobile solutions to diabetes management," stated Adam Lin, iHealth Lab president. "We believe this ultraportable device and program are a meaningful advancement for the 26 million individuals in the United States living with diabetes," he said. "For many diabetics, the cost and hassle of managing diabetes on a daily basis can be daunting, so we want to help make measurement and tracking as easy as possible."
The new iHealth Align plugs directly into the headphone jack of a user's smart phone and works with both iPhone and Android phones. The readings are automatically displayed and logged using the free iHealth Gluco-Smart mobile application. Through the app, users can manage their readings, track insulin and share info with caregivers and supporters. Since all the data is automatically sent to the cloud, users can view their information from anywhere by logging into their online account.
The iHealth Align, priced at $16.95, comes with a lancing device and four protective cases. iHealth test strips are available at a suggested retail price of $12.50 per vial of 50 strips, and can be found at iHealthlabs.com and Walgreens.com.
The companion iHealth Gluco-Smart App is available for free from the Apple App Store for iPhone from Google Play for Android devices.