(Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sleep apnea detection feature that's launching on the Apple Watch Series 10, Series 9, and Ultra 2.
Apple received the green light on Sept. 13, with the FDA categorizing it as an "over-the-counter device to assess risk of sleep apnea."
First announced at the Glowtime event last week, sleep apnea detection on the Apple Watch helps identify momentary pauses in breathing while asleep. According to Apple, more than 1 billion people worldwide suffer from the disorder, which can result in hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or cardiac issues over time, if left untreated.
Sleep apnea stats will be logged in a Breathing Disturbances section of the Health app. It uses the accelerometer on the Apple Watch to note interruptions in breathing during sleep and shares the breathing analysis once every 30 days. Users will be notified if they have moderate to severe sleep apnea and can consult a doctor for potential diagnosis and treatment, Apple says.
(Credit: Apple)Sleep apnea notifications are now available in more than 150 countries and regions, including the US, the EU, and Japan. Those with a Series 9 or Ultra 2 can upgrade to watchOS 11, which launched today, to get sleep apnea tracking. The Series 10 launches on Sept. 20.
This is the second wellness feature Apple got approval for this month. Last week, the FDA cleared AirPods Pro 2 as an over-the-counter hearing aid.