Samsung is making its sleep apnea monitoring more detailed and potentially more useful for Galaxy wearable users. The updated feature goes beyond simple detection, offering deeper insight into how often breathing may be disturbed during sleep.
Samsung originally received approval for its Galaxy Watch sleep apnea feature in South Korea in 2023, followed by FDA De Novo authorization in early 2024. Since then, the feature has reached many more regions, with Samsung saying it is now available in 84 countries. The company has now announced that an improved version, which received FDA approval in July, has also been approved by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Instead of only identifying possible signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea, the upgraded feature uses an AI algorithm to count breathing disruptions per hour during sleep. The results are then divided into three levels — mild, occasional, or frequent — based on how often interruptions occur. The feature is accessed through the Samsung Health Monitor app on a compatible Galaxy device, and users must record at least five hours of sleep on two separate occasions within a ten-day period to receive a result.
In South Korea, the enhanced sleep apnea detection feature will begin rolling out in November. It will first be available on the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, Galaxy Watch9, and Galaxy Ring, before expanding to the Galaxy Watch7 and Galaxy Watch8 through software updates for devices running Wear OS 7.0 or later. Samsung also notes that the Galaxy Ring’s lightweight and comfortable design makes it well suited for overnight wear, helping it collect the sleep data needed for the feature.
For users with older supported devices, the original sleep apnea detection feature remains available. That version simply reports whether signs of sleep apnea were detected and works on Galaxy Watch4 and newer models running Wear OS 5.0 or later.
Samsung also points to figures from the US National Sleep Foundation, which estimates that around 25% of men and 10% of women in the United States may have sleep apnea, often without realizing it. The company says the results are intended to serve as a helpful reference when discussing symptoms with a healthcare professional.
