Users will be able to check for breathing disturbances during their sleep without having to undergo in-lab testing.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sleep apnea detection feature in Apple's latest smartwatches.
The sleep apnea detection feature is available for three Apple smartwatches: the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2.
The new feature was introduced during Apple's “Glowtime” event on September 9th, during which the company presented its latest AI-powered iPhone 16, smartwatches, and AirPods 4.
Sleep apnea, a sleep-related disorder that disturbs breathing, affects around 30 million people in the US, with only 6 million people diagnosed, according to the American Medical Association.
To be tested for sleep apnea, a person must undergo testing in a lab or at home. In-lab testing costs between $500 and $3000, while home testing is a bit cheaper, ranging from $100 to $600.
Considering this, Apple's smartwatch feature could make it much easier and cheaper to predict sleep apnea, especially for people who are unaware of the problem they might have.
With Apple’s smartwatch, sleep apnea detection works by analyzing “breathing disturbances,” which are measured through an accelerometer. The device is then able to note if there are any breathing-related disruptions.
Such metrics can be checked in the Health app, which also notifies users of any concerning changes. The data can then be shown to a doctor for further evaluation.
Apple has also recently got one more approval from the FDA – its software that converts AirPods Pro 2 into a hearing aid device.
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