Samsung has received the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to launch an advanced feature aimed at improving the accuracy of sleep apnea detection via its wearable devices. This new technology relies on artificial intelligence algorithms to provide a deeper analysis that goes beyond merely monitoring the presence of disturbances.
Advanced Analysis via Artificial Intelligence
Unlike previous features that were limited to monitoring signs of apnea, the new feature analyzes the number of breathing disturbances that occur per hour during sleep. Using AI algorithms, the system will be able to classify these disturbances into three specific levels: mild, occasional, or frequent.
This development comes after Samsung has taken previous steps in this field, as Galaxy Watch series (starting from the Watch 4 version) provided the detection feature, and the Galaxy Ring was the first device of its kind to receive FDA clearance for sleep apnea detection earlier this year.
Included Devices and Launch Date
The rollout of this feature is scheduled to begin next November, and it will initially be available to users in South Korea via the following devices:
- Samsung Galaxy Ring
- Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
- Galaxy Watch 9
Future software updates will also include older models such as Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 7.
What changes in practice?
The fundamental change lies in the transition from the "alerting of a problem" stage to the "assessing the severity of the problem" stage. Instead of merely informing the user of a breathing disturbance, the system will provide classificatory data that helps users understand the frequency of disturbances, which may facilitate providing more accurate and detailed information to doctors when consulting specialists.
Although Samsung has not announced a specific launch date outside of South Korea, its prior receipt of FDA approval bolsters expectations that the feature may reach the U.S. market soon.