Samsung’s upgraded sleep apnea feature is now available in the US on the Galaxy Ring, as well as the Galaxy Watch9. Samsung Electronics America announced the US rollout on November 3. It follows FDA clearance for the updated feature in July.
Samsung says this makes it the first company to bring FDA-cleared over-the-counter sleep apnea risk detection to a smart ring. Korea’s regulator has also approved the updated version, which we covered on October 28 while the US Ring launch was still pending.
What the upgraded sleep apnea check does
The first version won FDA De Novo authorization in February 2024 and launched that July. It gave a simple risk result. The updated version estimates how many breathing disruptions you have per hour instead.
The feature runs through the Samsung Health Monitor app. It needs two nights of valid sleep data within 10 days. It is meant for adults 18 and over who have not already been diagnosed with sleep apnea.
Samsung describes it as an over-the-counter, software-only medical app that looks for signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. That makes it a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Samsung says so itself, and notes that it doesn’t replace a diagnosis by a clinician. A worrying result is a reason to book a doctor’s appointment, not a conclusion.
Jongmin Choi, Head of Health R&D Group for Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, framed the launch around everyday use: “Samsung has long worked to make sleep health a simple and seamless part of everyday life.”
Which Galaxy devices support it
Samsung’s US release names the Galaxy Ring and the Galaxy Watch9 running Wear OS 7.0 or higher. It says Galaxy Watch7 and Watch8 support will expand through future software updates. The release gives no date for those updates.
That leaves Watch7 and Watch8 owners waiting on an open-ended promise. Watches older than the Watch7 keep only the basic check, as our Korea report explained.
Source: Samsung US Newsroom, Samsung Global Newsroom
This post was written with AI assistance from public sources and published under the editorial responsibility of AndroidPure’s editor. How we work.
