Apple Gets FDA Approval for Sleep Apnea Detection Feature
Apple has received FDA approval for sleep apnea detection on its Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatches.
The FDA approval comes four days before the Apple Watch Series 10's September 20 release date.
Apple announced the feature at its iPhone 15 event last week, and it comes as part of the upcoming watchOS 11 release.
Once enabled, it requires up to 10 nights of sleep tracking data spread over a 30-day period to determine if a user has this condition.
During that time, it also provides insights into nighttime sleep disturbances using the accelerometer built into the watch.
The FDA classifies the feature as an over-the-counter device for assessing the risk of sleep apnea.
Apple was quick to note that the addition is not a diagnostic tool, but rather urges users to seek a formal diagnosis from a healthcare provider.
Sleep apnea is associated with a variety of different symptoms, and causes repeated pauses in breathing during the night.
The Mayo Clinic notes that sleep apnea can cause insomnia, headaches, daytime sleepiness and other long-term conditions.
Apple isn't the first consumer electronics company to offer this feature. Withings has offered sleep apnea detection on devices for some time, while Samsung received FDA approval for the feature on its Galaxy Watch lineup earlier this year.
This feature comes at a time when Apple has disabled the blood oxygen detection feature on its smartwatches in the United States due to an ongoing patent dispute.
Apple announced that sleep apnea detection is available on Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the US and more than 150 other countries and regions.
Apple says the feature is intended to detect signs of sleep apnea in people 18 years or older who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea.
