Here’s our first look at the sleep apnea detection feature on Galaxy Watches
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
TL;DR
- In February, Samsung received FDA approval for a sleep apnea detection feature on Galaxy Watches.
- A Reddit user posted screenshots showing the feature active on their Samsung Health app.
- The feature is expected to officially launch with the One UI 6 Watch on the Galaxy Watch 7 at the upcoming Unpacked event.
The highly anticipated Galaxy Unpacked event is just around the corner, and we have a fairly good idea of what to expect from Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. Earlier this year, Samsung made news by obtaining FDA clearance for sleep apnea detection, which is the first for any consumer smartwatch.
And now, thanks to a Reddit thread spotted by 9to5Google, we have our first glimpse into how this feature could work.
A user in the One UI 6 Watch beta program posted screenshots showing the Sleep Apnea feature activated on their Galaxy Watch after a Samsung Health Monitor app update. Notably, the feature isn’t available on Galaxy Watches running One UI 5 Watch.
As seen in the screenshot, the feature will require you to wear your watch while sleeping for two nights. The watch will track the user’s sleep for a minimum of 4 hours each night, monitoring relative decreases in blood oxygen levels. After two nights, the feature will automatically turn off and provide the user with a result indicating the likelihood of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
The user also mentioned additional technical requirements for the feature:
- Minimum Watch Support: Galaxy Watch 4
- Minimum Wear OS: Wear OS 5.0 (One UI 6)
- Minimum Phone OS: Android 9
While Samsung has yet to officially announce or tease this feature for its watches, its arrival with the One UI 6 Watch beta makes it a safe assumption that the sleep apnea detection capability will launch with the Galaxy Watch 7 at the Unpacked event on July 10. Given that the One UI 6 Watch will also be rolling out to the Galaxy Watch 4, Watch 5, and Watch 6 series, it is likely that these older models will receive the new sleep apnea feature as well.
Samsung is currently offering a $50 credit towards pre-ordering one of the many new devices expected to be unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event, including the highly anticipated Galaxy Ring. Today is the last day to reserve this credit.
