ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Samsung is strengthening its sleep apnea feature.
- Samsung Galaxy users get more details about their sleep apnea.
- The feature launched in November, coming first to Korea.
Samsung’s sleep-tracking feature has been around on the Samsung Galaxy Watch for a few years now, but it recently got an upgrade: a new AI algorithm that can provide more detailed sleep reports than Samsung’s previous sleep apnea detection technology.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 review
How the Galaxy Watch sleep apnea feature works
Users wear a Galaxy Watch to sleep for several nights, and the sleep apnea results are divided into three stages: mild, occasional and frequent. Samsung says this classification allows for more specificity in condition management.
Many smartwatch and health tracker companies have implemented some sleep apnea detection features on their devices. The often underdiagnosed condition affects about 30 million Americans, according to the American Medical Association (AMA). It is a condition with gateway effects: if left untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and impairment of focus, according to the AMA. Despite the prevalence of sleep apnea, it is highly treatable – and a great example of wearables passively detecting conditions at home.
Also: Galaxy Watch 9 vs Galaxy Watch 8
Of course, the Galaxy Watch cannot help in the treatment plan of a sleep apnea diagnosis.
The feature will be available in Korea first, starting in November, with no confirmed date for when it will come to US Samsung watches and smart rings. The FDA-cleared feature will first arrive on the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Watch 9 and Ring. Samsung says an update will bring advanced sleep apnea detection to Galaxy Watch 7 and 8 through future software updates.
To use the feature, a Galaxy user must record two nights of sleep within 10 days to learn details about their condition.