Samsung just received FDA approval to utilize the Galaxy Watch to determine whether the wearer is experiencing sleep apnea.

A medical disorder known as sleep apnea causes a person’s breathing to momentarily stop while they are asleep. The disorder can manifest in various ways, such as “Central Sleep Apnea,” in which the brain fails in sending appropriate signals to regulate breathing during sleep, and “Obstructive Sleep Apnea,” in which the muscles relax and obstruct the flow of air into the lungs.

Samsung reports that the FDA has given its permission for the addition of a feature to the Galaxy Watch that may identify “signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea,” in a post.

Users who are over 22 and have not yet received a diagnosis for the disease can access this service. Evidently, the goal is to either educate those who might not be aware they have sleep apnea about the condition or help them understand signs like “decreased sleep quality and increased daytime fatigue.”

The feature requires at least two days of more than four hours of sleep over a period of ten days in order to collect data while you sleep.

According to Samsung, the US version of the Galaxy Watch will get this feature in Q3 2024, which implies no earlier than July 2024. We would believe that this functionality will most likely launch alongside the Galaxy Watch 7 series, which is anticipated to launch in Q3 as well. Although Samsung refers to it as the “Galaxy Watch series,” it is unclear if this applies to other Galaxy Watch variants. Outside of the US, South Korea had previously approved the feature, though it might not be available in other nations.

Samsung adds that depending on the smartphone you’re paired with, the feature could not work. It appears that the Galaxy Watch must be paired with a Galaxy smartphone in order to access some health capabilities, which may also apply to the new sleep apnea functionality.