A new watchOS update is bringing the feature to users in Australia. Sleep apnea detection is a data-driven respiratory monitoring feature, and is available for the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
This new feature joins a growing suite of health tools on Apple Watch that are already available in over 150 countries and regions: the US, EU, and Japan.
Apple's "Sleep Apnea Notifications" feature relies on the timepiece's accelerometer and tracks subtle wrist movements, which it tags as Breathing Disturbances. It gauges interruptions in breathing patterns.
Sleep apnea detection. | Image Credit - Apple
Every night, these readouts are collected and combined, and then they are visible in the Health app on your iPhone. Elevated breathing disturbances are flagged over a 30-day check period.
Apple says that the feature uses machine learning models trained with nearly 4,000 nights of clinical-grade sleep data, which was collected from over 2,100 participants. Meanwhile, a validation study confirmed that the people that the sleep apnea algorithm identified all had at least mild sleep apnea.
Would you rely on a smartwatch to monitor serious health conditions?
Yes, I already do
66.67%
Maybe, if it's clinically validated
22.22%
No, I prefer traditional medical devices
11.11%
I don’t use smartwatches at all
0%
Basically, you will receive a notification if your Apple Watch detects consistent signs of moderate or severe sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common condition in which your breathing may stop and restart many times during your sleep. This can cause you not to get enough oxygen.
The notification you may get from your Apple Watch will give you information about the period when it happened. Of course, as with any health-related Apple Watch (or other Watches too) feature at the moment, it is not to be used for a diagnostic tool, and always, when you have doubts about your health, you should seek medical advice.
I personally think that adding sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch is a really meaningful upgrade. It's impressive how far wearables have come: from counting steps to now potentially flagging serious sleep conditions. I love seeing tech being used in ways that support long-term health, not just fitness tracking.
Meanwhile, Samsung has also just introduced its next-gen health-focused wearables. All of this shows there's a momentum in the $70 billion global wearable health market. Recently, Apple also introduced its "Beyond Sensor" initiative and the Wearable Behavior Model (WBM), which uses AI to extract insights about behavioral data, aiming to detect health conditions.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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