Galaxy Watch to detect signs of sleep apnea as FDA gives green light

What do you want to know

• Samsung says it has cleared the US FDA to integrate its sleep apnea detection software into the Galaxy Watch.
• The feature will be available to users over the age of 22 and users will have to track their sleep for more than four hours over ten days.
• Samsung’s sleep apnea detection is expected to arrive in the third quarter of 2024 on the Galaxy Watch series.

Samsung is preparing to introduce its sleep apnea detection software in the United States after receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to Samsung, this feature can “detect signs” of sleep apnea whenever a user wears a compatible Galaxy Watch with a Galaxy phone. Once arrived, users over the age of 22 may detect signs of “moderate to severe” OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). The company adds that while this product is intended to be used whenever a user wants, it is not intended for those who have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Samsung states that to work properly, a user must wear their watch to bed twice to track a sleep period that lasts more than four hours over ten days.

If left untreated, sleep apnea would increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, etc. Samsung informs that its sleep apnea feature for the Galaxy Watch series will arrive in the third quarter of 2024.

Users should be able to access it through the Samsung Health Monitor app. The company also warns that sleep apnea detection will vary depending on the user’s carrier, device model, and paired phone.

More specific information about supported watches and phones should become available during Samsung’s planned release period.

In October 2023, the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety authorized Samsung’s sleep apnea detection for the Galaxy Watch series. The feature is expected to roll out to users in the company’s home country “in early” 2024. Samsung explained that the feature will rely on the Galaxy Watch’s BioActive sensor for its potential sleep apnea warnings .

The software will monitor a user’s blood oxygen levels throughout the night and identify any potential warning signs due to values ​​changing.

Samsung has continued to offer users interesting health-focused features, like its irregular heartbeat notifications. This feature was cleared by the FDA in the United States in May 2023, working in the background to monitor a user’s heart for potential signs of atrial fibrillation. If your Galaxy Watch notifies you, it will also encourage you to take an ECG on the device for a more accurate reading.

The feature rolled out with the One UI 5 Watch update for the series last year.