Modern glucometers have evolved into IoT nodes using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC) to transmit test strip data.

Key Technical Standards:

• Bluetooth LE & GATT: The industry standard for wireless transmission. Devices utilize the Glucose Profile (GLP) and Glucose Service (GLS), which structure data into standardized characteristics (UUIDs) containing the glucose value, timestamp, sample type (capillary/venous), and meal context.
• IEEE 11073-10417: The underlying semantic standard that defines the data model for glucose measurements, ensuring that values are interpreted correctly across different software platforms.
• NFC: Primarily used for Out-of-Band (OOB) pairing, allowing users to pair meters to smartphones by tapping them together, bypassing complex PIN entry. It also enables passive data transfer in systems like the FreeStyle Libre.

Market Dynamics:

While open standards exist to promote interoperability, manufacturers often wrap standard protocols in proprietary encryption. This creates "walled gardens," forcing patients to use specific manufacturer apps and complicating integration with third-party digital health platforms.