Samsung announced an upgraded sleep apnea detection feature for its Galaxy Watches and Galaxy Ring, now approved by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). The feature previously received FDA De Novo authorization in early 2024 and is available in 84 countries.
The new version uses an AI algorithm to count breathing disruptions per hour during sleep, categorizing results into three levels: mild, occasional, or frequent. Users must record at least five hours of sleep on two occasions within ten days via the Samsung Health Monitor app.
In Korea, the upgraded feature launches in November on the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, Galaxy Watch9, and Galaxy Ring, followed by updates for Galaxy Watch7 and Galaxy Watch8 running Wear OS 7.0 or later. The original feature remains available on Galaxy Watch4 and newer models with Wear OS 5.0 or later.
Samsung references the US National Sleep Foundation, which estimates about 25% of men and 10% of women in the US have sleep apnea, often undiagnosed. The company says results can aid discussions with medical specialists.
Source: GSMArena · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing