Samsung says its Galaxy Ring can now provide a more detailed assessment of sleep apnea after the US Food and Drug Administration authorized an upgraded version of the feature in July. The update uses AI to estimate the frequency of breathing disruptions per hour of sleep.
With at least five hours of sleep on two nights during a ten-day period, Samsung’s Health Monitor app can indicate whether sleep apnea appears mild, occasional or frequent. The company cautions that the feature is not a medical diagnosis and says users should consult a physician.
Samsung first received De Novo FDA authorization for sleep apnea detection on its Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring in February 2024. That earlier authorization covered detecting signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea; the new version adds an estimate of how often breathing disruptions occur.
The upgraded feature is also available on the Galaxy Watch 9 running Wear OS 7.0 or later. Samsung says it will reach the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 through software updates. The company has also recently updated its Sleep Coaching feature so it requires less data.
Sources: Engadget.