# Dexcom and Samsung Smart Watch



## Diabetic Unicorn (May 14, 2022)

Hi guys, 

When using the Dexcom and mobile app - if you're using say a Samsung Smart Watch with your Samsung phone, do you still have to carry your phone with you, or can the phone stay home and the watch do all of the reading?

Annoyingly, I'm using the Tandem T-Slim pump as the CGM and planned to use my phone as well so my Diabetes team can get the Clarity updates. Annoyingly I have the new Samsung Flip which isn't compatible with the app so I'm having to use an old S10. It's really annoying having to carry 2 phones around as well as the pump!

Thanks!


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## helli (May 14, 2022)

I don’t wear a smart watch but am aware of the limited number of phones supported with Dexcom.
I believe, that is why xDrip was developed. This is an unofficial app which I used with Libre although it was originally written for Dexcom.
unfortunately, xDrip will not share the data with your diabetes team in the format they demand. If they insist on seeing your data, could you request a Dexcom reader? This should be smaller than a separate phone. I feel it is unreasonable to be expected to carry two phones with you so your team can keep track.


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## Diabetic Unicorn (May 14, 2022)

helli said:


> I don’t wear a smart watch but am aware of the limited number of phones supported with Dexcom.
> I believe, that is why xDrip was developed. This is an unofficial app which I used with Libre although it was originally written for Dexcom.
> unfortunately, xDrip will not share the data with your diabetes team in the format they demand. If they insist on seeing your data, could you request a Dexcom reader? This should be smaller than a separate phone. I feel it is unreasonable to be expected to carry two phones with you so your team can keep track.


I have a reader, but I don't believe you can use it alongside the T:Slim - as in have the T:Slim as the main device which I also believe is needed for Control IQ. I may be wrong on this and happy to be corrected. 

I'm hoping once my baby is here and they're happy with my pump readings that they won't be so strict because I can use Glooko which does show Dexcom data as well as the pumps, just not as in-depth as they would like


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 15, 2022)

Sorry you are caught between the rock and hard place of phone and diabetes tech compatibility 

What does the phone app do? Is it just a reader (taking data directly from the Dexcom transmitter) or do you link it / ‘pair’ it with your phone?


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## Diabetic Unicorn (May 16, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Sorry you are caught between the rock and hard place of phone and diabetes tech compatibility
> 
> What does the phone app do? Is it just a reader (taking data directly from the Dexcom transmitter) or do you link it / ‘pair’ it with your phone?


The phone app acts as a reader then sends the data automatically to Dexcom Clarity. I'm not really sure why the T:Slim acts as a reader and is fully compatible with Dexcom but you cannot upload it directly to Dexcom Clarity.


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 16, 2022)

Diabetic Unicorn said:


> The phone app acts as a reader then sends the data automatically to Dexcom Clarity. I'm not really sure why the T:Slim acts as a reader and is fully compatible with Dexcom but you cannot upload it directly to Dexcom Clarity.



Sorry! I meant **watch** app! Doh! 

I was just trying to work out if the watch app would be standalone. I’ve not had one of those smartwatches (apart from a fitbit)… Does the watch have its own network connection? Or does it only link to the network/internet via the phone?


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## Diabetic Unicorn (May 16, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Sorry! I meant **watch** app! Doh!
> 
> I was just trying to work out if the watch app would be standalone. I’ve not had one of those smartwatches (apart from a fitbit)… Does the watch have its own network connection? Or does it only link to the network/internet via the phone?


I'm not sure about the watch app, I've never had one either. I would get it from O2 who my phone contract is with and it has it's own data, but I'm still not sure if it can be a standalone or if it relies on the phone to feed it the data and it just acts as a display for the graphs. It's all very confusing ‍


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 16, 2022)

Diabetic Unicorn said:


> I'm not sure about the watch app, I've never had one either. I would get it from O2 who my phone contract is with and it has it's own data, but I'm still not sure if it can be a standalone or if it relies on the phone to feed it the data and it just acts as a display for the graphs. It's all very confusing ‍



In your shoes I’d certainly want to be asking Abbott some pretty pointy technical questions about the nature of the Samsung-compatible watch app before I sprung for a smart watch!


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## m1dnc (May 17, 2022)

I have a Fitbit watch and can see the Dexcom data on a Glance watchface (which you can download for free). This takes its data from the Dexcom Follow app on my Samsung phone. So as far as I understand the process (I'm no way a techie - I'm far too old), the Dexcom sensor sends its info to the Decom app on the phone by Bluetooth, the phone Dexcom app sends the data on to Dexcom Follow either with it's wifi internet connection or by mobile data if it doesn't have a wifi connection, and the Fitbit watch picks up the Follow data on the Glance watchface either from it's wifi connection (if it's on the same wifi network as the phone) or from the phone's mobile data connection via the watch's Fitbit app. This does mean that if you're abroad and have mobile data roaming turned off on the phone, you won't see the data on the watch unless you are both on the same local wifi network.

I don't think this has anything to do with the OP's question, but maybe it m.ay help anyone with Dexcom and a Fitbit watch


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## Diabetic Unicorn (May 17, 2022)

m1dnc said:


> I have a Fitbit watch and can see the Dexcom data on a Glance watchface (which you can download for free). This takes its data from the Dexcom Follow app on my Samsung phone. So as far as I understand the process (I'm no way a techie - I'm far too old), the Dexcom sensor sends its info to the Decom app on the phone by Bluetooth, the phone Dexcom app sends the data on to Dexcom Follow either with it's wifi internet connection or by mobile data if it doesn't have a wifi connection, and the Fitbit watch picks up the Follow data on the Glance watchface either from it's wifi connection (if it's on the same wifi network as the phone) or from the phone's mobile data connection via the watch's Fitbit app. This does mean that if you're abroad and have mobile data roaming turned off on the phone, you won't see the data on the watch unless you are both on the same local wifi network.
> 
> I don't think this has anything to do with the OP's question, but maybe it m.ay help anyone with Dexcom and a Fitbit watch


Thank you, this is really useful actually! I would have thought the tech would be similar with the Samsung watch vs the Fitbit. This would mean I do still need to carry the extra phone with me so the watch would potentially be a waste of time on the Dexcom front. Thank you!


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## m1dnc (May 17, 2022)

Diabetic Unicorn said:


> Thank you, this is really useful actually! I would have thought the tech would be similar with the Samsung watch vs the Fitbit. This would mean I do still need to carry the extra phone with me so the watch would potentially be a waste of time on the Dexcom front. Thank you!


I think it might depend on which Samsung watch you have. They used to use their own watch OS - Tizen, I think - but the latest model uses the Wear OS. There is an official Dexcom app for Wear OS which has it's own watchface. I have a vague recollection that this doesn't use the Follow app to get the data to a Wear watch and you don't need to be near the phone to get the info on the watch. Worth checking out.

I use an Omnipod Dash pump so have to carry the PDM for it as well as a phone, so I'm used to having two 'phones' with me at all times. (Why, oh why, can't we have a phone app for the Dash.) It is very useful to have the Dexcom data on the watch as you can very quickly check how you're doing with a quick glance and without having to dig your phone out. Handy when you're driving etc.


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## Diabetic Unicorn (May 18, 2022)

m1dnc said:


> I think it might depend on which Samsung watch you have. They used to use their own watch OS - Tizen, I think - but the latest model uses the Wear OS. There is an official Dexcom app for Wear OS which has it's own watchface. I have a vague recollection that this doesn't use the Follow app to get the data to a Wear watch and you don't need to be near the phone to get the info on the watch. Worth checking out.
> 
> I use an Omnipod Dash pump so have to carry the PDM for it as well as a phone, so I'm used to having two 'phones' with me at all times. (Why, oh why, can't we have a phone app for the Dash.) It is very useful to have the Dexcom data on the watch as you can very quickly check how you're doing with a quick glance and without having to dig your phone out. Handy when you're driving etc.


I've just had a look into it and it seems the new watch is Wear OS and Dexcom have Wear OS listed as a compatible device on their website. O2 have a great deal on it at the moment so I've ordered the watch to try- it has other features in interested in and potentially sounds like it will work as a standalone device with the app. I will update when I know! 

It's so annoying having to carry so many devices around isn't it? Agree with the driving thing as well, much safer.


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## Diabetic Unicorn (May 20, 2022)

Frustrated that it doesn't work still! Other people have had the same issue and there is a way to 'hack' the watch in developer mode to get around the bug (which is on Dexcoms end...shock!) However, because the watch is paired to my main phone, not to the one with Dexcom on, it didn't work. Sigh...


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## mikeyB (May 24, 2022)

I use an Apple phone 12Pro, an an Apple watch 7. They are paired, so the App appeared on my watch as soon as it was installed on the phone. The answer to your original question is no, the watch cannot take readings from the sensor. If I nip up the local shop, without my phone, it won't show the reading until I reach the front door. The range is around 20 feet, or 6 metres.


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