Apple CEO Tim Cook during an event at Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California, U.S., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Apple unveiled a new version of its smartwatch with a larger display and sleep apnea detection as part of an event on Monday that will also feature the iPhone 16 smartphone. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it on Monday. appleApple has launched a new feature to detect sleep apnea, and it is now available to Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 users through a software update.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night. The condition affects more than 30 million people in the United States, but only about 6 million are diagnosed, according to the American Medical Association. If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause fatigue and lead to more serious health problems such as heart problems, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
“We’re incredibly excited about the incredible impact this feature can have for the millions of people with undiagnosed sleep apnea,” said Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of health, in the feature’s launch video.
Apple’s sleep apnea detection feature represents the company’s latest attempt to position its wearables as a cheaper, simpler alternative to many existing medical tests and devices. And the sleep disorders market could prove lucrative.
For example, to be evaluated for sleep apnea, patients typically participate in a home test or a lab test where they are monitored overnight. Prices vary depending on insurance coverage, but the average cost of a lab test is $3,000, according to a 2022 study in the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health.
Home tests are often less expensive, but can cost hundreds of dollars. For example, a home sleep apnea test from Sleep Doctor costs $189. Apple’s latest Watch, the Series 10, starts at $399.
Apple’s sleep apnea detection feature “could be a game changer” for patients who have been reluctant to get tested, said Dr. David Coleman, a sleep physician in Missouri who has treated sleep disorders for nearly two decades. Coleman also serves on the board of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a professional association for sleep medicine physicians.
Coleman said the feature could be especially useful for patients who sleep alone, and he believes many people would be surprised to discover they show signs of sleep apnea.
However, Coleman said users should treat Apple’s sleep apnea data with caution, as the readings could be wrong. He said it’s unlikely that insurance companies will start paying for sleep apnea treatments like CPAP machines based on Apple Watch data alone, which is why it’s important for patients to follow up with their healthcare providers to get a formal diagnosis.
“People need to be diagnosed so they can get treatment,” Coleman told CNBC.
This advantage is likely to lead to increased visits to health care providers, which could ultimately reduce costs for the U.S. health care system overall, Coleman said. Ideally, if patients catch sleep apnea early, they can avoid paying for more serious conditions in the future.
“By detecting and treating their underlying sleep disorders, it can actually help save money and improve quality of life.”
How it works
Sleep Apnea Alert for Apple Watch Series 10.
Apple Inc.
Apple's sleep apnea detection works by analyzing a new metric the company calls “breathing disturbances.” Apple Watch identifies breathing disturbances by using an accelerometer to measure movements at the wrist that indicate disruptions to normal breathing patterns.
Users can view their nighttime metrics in the Health app, where they will be categorized as “elevated” or “not elevated,” meaning normal. Apple will analyze this sleep disorder data once a month and notify people if they show “consistent signs” of moderate or severe sleep apnea. Users can view their data over a one-month, six-month, or one-year period.
The Apple Watch Series 10 supports up to 18 hours of battery life, so people interested in using this feature will likely need to charge their devices during the day.
Apple can also generate a report that users can bring to their doctors to discuss next steps. The report includes three months of breathing disorder data along with some additional information, the company said. Users can also access educational materials within the Health app.
Apple said the notification algorithm was developed “based on an extensive dataset of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests,” and that the feature was validated in a clinical study.
“Now I can't wait to get an Apple Watch so I can try it out for myself,” Coleman said.
