Galaxy Watch to detect signs of sleep apnea as the FDA gives the all-clear

What you need to know

• Samsung states it has cleared the FDA in the U.S. to bring its sleep apnea detection software to the Galaxy Watch.
• The feature will be available for users over the age of 22 and users must track their sleep for more than four hours within ten days.
• Samsung’s sleep apnea detection is said to arrive during Q3 2024 on the Galaxy Watch series.

Samsung is preparing to bring its sleep apnea detection software to the U.S. as it receives approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to Samsung, the feature can “detect signs” of sleep apnea whenever a user is wearing a compatible Galaxy Watch with a Galaxy phone. Once it arrives, users over the age of 22 can detect signs of “moderate to severe” OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). The company adds that while this is intended to be used whenever a user desires, it is not intended for those who’ve been previously diagnosed with sleep apnea.

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

Left untreated, sleep apnea is said to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and more. Samsung informs that its sleep apnea feature for the Galaxy Watch series will arrive in Q3 2024.

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

More specific information regarding which watches and phones are supported should be made available during Samsung’s intended release timeframe.

In October 2023, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety cleared Samsung’s sleep apnea detection for the Galaxy Watch series. The feature was said to roll out to users in the company’s native country “early” in 2024. Samsung explained that the feature would piggyback off the Galaxy Watch’s BioActive Sensor for its potential sleep apnea warnings.

The software will monitor a user’s blood oxygen levels through the night and identify any potential warning signs from the change in values.

Samsung has continued to bring worthwhile health-focused features to users, like its irregular heart rhythm notifications. That feature cleared the FDA in the U.S. in May 2023, working in the background to monitor a user’s heart for potential signs of AFib. If your Galaxy Watch notified you, it would also encourage you to conduct 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.