Samsung's upgraded sleep apnea feature is now available on the Galaxy Ring and Watch9

Last week Samsung announced thatthe upgraded version of its sleep apnea feature was approved in Korea, following its FDA clearance in the US back in July. Today, the company has announced that the new version has become available in the US, including for theGalaxy Ring, which Samsung says is the first smart ring with an FDA-cleared, over-the-counter sleep apnea risk detection feature. The original version of the function, whichreceived De Novo authorization from the FDAin February 2024, could only tell you whether signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea were detected. The upgraded one analyzes your vitals during sleep in greater depth and also gives you insight into the level of breathing disruptions it found, and that can help you have more productive conversations with your doctor.

On the watch side, the feature is available on theGalaxy Watch9running Wear OS 7.0 or later, while theGalaxy Watch7andGalaxy Watch8will get it through future software updates. Oddly enough, theGalaxy Watch Ultra2isn't mentioned this time, even though it was on the list for the Korean rollout. As for the Galaxy Ring, Samsung points out that its light design makes it comfortable enough to wear through the night. The feature lives in the Samsung Health Monitor app and needs a compatible Galaxy phone. It's meant for users aged 18 and up, and you'll need two nights of valid data within a 10-day period to get a result. It's not intended for people who have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and it's no replacement for a proper diagnosis from a qualified clinician.