Samsung Galaxy Ring Gains FDA Approval for Advanced Sleep Apnea Detection

Samsung's Galaxy Ring now offers more advanced sleep apnea detection after the FDA approved the new feature in July, the company announced. The feature may give users new clues about why they feel exhausted even after sleeping through the night. It uses AI to detect the frequency of breathing disruptions for every hour a user sleeps.

What the approval covers

Samsung first received De Novo FDA authorization for sleep apnea detection on its Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring devices in February 2024. That original approval only covered detection for symptoms of moderate to severe sleep apnea. The new version also detects that, but adds AI-based measurement of breathing disruptions per hour.

How it works

Provided a user sleeps at least five hours for two nights over a ten-day period, Samsung's Health Monitor app can indicate whether the user has mild, occasional or frequent sleep apnea. Samsung says only a physician can make a proper sleep apnea diagnosis, but the device can lead to productive conversations with healthcare professionals.

Availability and competitors

The advanced feature is now available on the Galaxy Watch 9 with Wear OS 7.0 or later. It will also come to the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 through software updates. Neither of Samsung's primary Galaxy Ring competitors, Oura and Superhuman, offers FDA-approved sleep apnea detection, although both can track nighttime disturbances that may indicate signs of the condition. Samsung and Oura are currently locked in a legal dispute over smart ring patents, with a preliminary decision expected soon.

Sources: Engadget