The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved sleep apnea detection on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Watch Ultra 2, just days before the release of the Series 10 on September 20. The feature will be available as part of the watchOS 11 update, rolling out now.
This feature, not intended as a diagnostic tool, will use the watch's built-in accelerometer to track wrist movements during sleep. Users will be alerted after 10 nights of data collection in any 30 day period if they are showing signs of sleep apnea and will be advised to consult a healthcare provider for further evaluation.
This risk assessment tool of the widely under diagnosed sleep apnea condition, that affects more than 1 billion people globally, is a valuable asset.
Apple joins Samsung and Withings, who got FDA approval for similar features in their wearable devices. Apple’s initiative to expand its health tech ambitions comes after the FDA approved its AirPods Pro 2 as over-the-counter hearing aids for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.
