Apple introduces AI-powered sleep apnea detection for Watch users in India

New Delhi: US-based technology giant Apple on Thursday introduced new health-focused features for users in India, enabling sleep apnea notifications on Apple Watch and a clinically validated hearing test feature on AirPods Pro.

The company said the latest capabilities are aimed at helping users detect potential health conditions and monitor their wellbeing through wearable devices.

Apple said Watch users in India will receive sleep apnea notifications through a new ‘Breathing Disturbances’ metric that uses the device’s accelerometer to detect wrist movements associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns during sleep.

The feature analyses breathing disturbance data every 30 days and alerts users if it detects consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea, encouraging them to consult a doctor for further evaluation and treatment.

Users can also export a PDF report containing breathing disturbance data and additional information to support discussions with healthcare professionals.

“From sleep apnea notifications on Apple Watch to a hearing test with AirPods Pro, we are excited to bring these meaningful capabilities to our users in India,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s Vice President of Health and Fitness.

The California-headquartered company noted that sleep apnea affects more than one billion people globally and often remains undiagnosed, potentially increasing the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiac issues if left untreated.

In addition, AirPods Pro users in India will now be able to access a clinically validated hearing test feature based on pure-tone audiometry.

The test can be completed in around five minutes using AirPods Pro paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad.

Users will receive a summary of their hearing levels, including hearing loss measurements for each ear, classifications and recommendations, Apple said.

The results, including an audiogram, will be securely stored in the Health app and can also be shared with healthcare providers, the company added.

The Hearing Test feature is supported on AirPods Pro 2 and later models running the latest firmware paired with compatible devices using iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and above.

IANS