Apple Watch can now detect sleep apnea in India, AirPods get hearing test tool

Apple has launched two major health-focused features for users in India, expanding its push into preventive healthcare technology through wearable devices.

The company on Thursday rolled out sleep apnea notifications for compatible Apple Watch devices and introduced a clinically validated Hearing Test feature for AirPods Pro users in the country.

According to Apple, the features are designed to help users identify possible health conditions from home without requiring immediate clinical testing.

“At Apple, we believe technology should empower people to take control of their health, and that starts with giving users tools to detect conditions they may not even know they have,” said Sumbul Desai while announcing the rollout.

Also Read | NASA’s new Moon Base project could change the future of space exploration

Apple Watch gets sleep apnea detection

The new sleep apnea notification system introduces a feature called “Breathing Disturbances” on Apple Watch devices. Using the watch’s accelerometer, the system tracks subtle wrist movements during sleep that may indicate interruptions in normal breathing patterns.

Apple said the watch analyses this data every 30 days and alerts users if repeated signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea are detected. Users can then consult healthcare professionals for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often without the patient being aware of it. According to Apple, the condition affects more than one billion people globally and frequently remains undiagnosed.

Medical experts have also linked untreated sleep apnea to conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Apple said users will be able to export a PDF report containing three months of breathing disturbance data to share with doctors during consultations. The company added that the detection algorithm was developed using machine learning and validated through large-scale clinical studies involving sleep apnea patients.

AirPods Pro users can now take hearing tests

In addition to the upgrade of Apple Watch, Apple has also announced a Hearing Test functionality for compatible AirPods Pro users in India. The hearing test uses the method of pure tone audiometry, which is a commonly used method for measuring hearing capability.

This test can be taken within five minutes through compatible AirPods Pro linked with devices that support the most recent versions of iOS or iPadOS. Once the test is over, the application gives information regarding your hearing capability in both ears.

Also Read | Meta layoffs explained: How much severance employees will get after job cuts

These results, along with the audiogram, will be securely stored in the health application of Apple and may also be shared with doctors, if required. Apple mentioned that the hearing test was created on the basis of data collected from the Apple Hearing study and other extensive research studies.

Apple’s bigger health-tech push

The latest rollout reflects Apple’s increasing focus on healthcare technology as wearable devices become more integrated into everyday wellness monitoring. For instance, it has continued to incorporate more health-tracking features such as heart monitoring, ECG support, fall detection, and temperature tracking.

However, the Sleep Apnea Notification alert is now available in over 150 countries for individuals 18 years old and above, and who have not yet been diagnosed with the disease. The Hearing Test feature has also been made available on AirPods Pro 2 devices, alongside other models compatible with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 and above operating systems.

Experts in the tech industry predict that Apple's growing healthcare technology ecosystem can see it becoming more like a preventive health companion than merely consumer electronic goods.