If you've been eagerly awaiting the release of the Omnipod 5 iOS app, you're not alone. I'm thrilled to share my journey with you as one of the lucky podders participating in the Limited Market Release (LMR) for this highly anticipated app. Buckle up, because this is the first post in a series about my experiences and impressions.
The Invitation: May 21, 2024
On May 21, 2024, I received an email from Insulet that had me practically jumping for joy. It was an invitation to complete a survey to check my eligibility for the Omnipod 5 iPhone app LMR. Naturally, I dropped everything to complete the survey immediately.
The survey asked a few key questions, such as:
- How long have I been using the Omnipod 5?
- What model of iPhone do I have?
- Is my compatible iPhone running iOS 17?
Fortunately, I passed with flying colors, and my phone met all the eligibility requirements. The email also provided a contact address for any questions, so I quickly fired off an inquiry about the timeline for the next steps. I was told to expect a call within 2-3 weeks from an Insulet rep to confirm my participation.
The Confirmation Call: June 5, 2024
True to their word, I received a call on June 5th to confirm my participation. The rep verified additional details such as my name, date of birth, home address, email, iPhone model, and confirmed that I was running iOS 17. I was then asked to complete a Participation Acknowledgement form, which was straightforward and mainly about consenting to data access and providing my endocrinologist's contact information.
The Follow-Up: June 10, 2024
A week later, on June 10th, I received another call confirming that my Participation Acknowledgement form had been received. They sent a follow-up email with a resource link to a video showing how to download and set up the app. Here’s where things got interesting.
As we know, the Omnipod 5 app isn’t available in the App Store to the general public, just yet. Instead, participants in the LMR need to use an app called TestFlight, which allows app developers to grant access to specific people for beta testing. The email included instructions on how to download TestFlight and a note that I would receive a code within 2-4 weeks to access and install the Omnipod 5 app.
The Plot Twist
The most intriguing part of the email was the final bullet point: "As the Limited Market Release is nearing an end, I will be reaching out to provide instructions for you to download the Omnipod 5 App for iPhone from the Apple App Store to ensure a smooth transition for you."
Now, why is this so interesting? Well, let me put on my detective hat for a moment.
Speculation and Fiscal Timelines
While Omnipod and Insulet haven't made any public statements about this, here's my educated guess. Large corporations often align big announcements and product releases with fiscal year timelines. The fiscal year is divided into four quarters, and October marks the start of a new fiscal quarter, Q4. Given the 90 day period participants of the Limited Market Release will have to use and test the app, and the mention of transitioning to the App Store version in the above mentioned email, leads me to suspect that we might see the public release of the Omnipod 5 iOS app around early October.
Stay Tuned for More!
Of course, this is just the beginning of my journey with the Omnipod 5 iOS app. I'll be sharing more updates and my impressions in future posts. For now, keep your eyes peeled and your iPhones ready!
Remember, managing diabetes is a journey, not a sprint. And with the right tools (and a little bit of luck), we can make that journey a whole lot easier. Stay stylish, stay organized, and stay tuned!
Happy podding!