Galaxy Ring Becomes First Smart Ring With FDA-Cleared Sleep Apnea Checks

Samsung is rolling out an upgraded sleep apnea feature to the Galaxy Ring and the Galaxy Watch 9, starting November 3. The company says the update has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), and that the Galaxy Ring is now the first smart ring with sleep apnea risk detection. Instead of a simple risk warning, the new version estimates how often your breathing is disrupted each hour you sleep.

What the upgraded feature does

Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow during sleep. Samsung’s original feature, released in July 2024, could flag signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. It received De Novo authorization from the FDA in February 2024, a route used for new kinds of medical features that have no existing equivalent on the market.

The updated version works inside the Samsung Health Monitor app. It looks more closely at readings such as blood oxygen and movement during sleep and then reports an estimated number of breathing disruptions per hour. Engadget reports that the feature uses AI and can tell users whether their disruptions look mild, occasional or frequent. Samsung says the goal is to help people understand their sleep better and have a more useful conversation with a doctor.

Who can use it and how

• Devices: Galaxy Ring, and Galaxy Watch 9 running Wear OS 7.0 or later.
• Older watches: Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 will get support through future software updates. Samsung has not given a date.
• Age: adults 18 and older.
• Monitoring needed: two nights of valid data within a 10-day period. Engadget adds that each night needs at least five hours of sleep.
• Not for diagnosed users: Samsung says the feature is not meant for people who already have a sleep apnea diagnosis.

Samsung describes it as an over-the-counter feature, meaning it does not require a doctor’s oversight to use. The company is clear that it does not replace a diagnosis or treatment by a qualified clinician.

Why it matters

Many people with sleep apnea do not know they have it and simply wake up tired. A ring is light and easy to wear all night, which makes regular sleep checks more realistic than with a bulkier device. Engadget notes that Samsung’s main smart ring rivals, Oura and Superhuman, can track nighttime disturbances but do not offer FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection.

If the app shows frequent breathing disruptions, treat it as a reason to book an appointment, not as a diagnosis. Bring the results along, since that is exactly what Samsung designed them for.

One detail that does not quite line up

The reports differ slightly on timing. Android Central and Samsung present the clearance as fresh news this week, while Engadget says the FDA approved the new feature in July. Either way, the rollout itself started on November 3. Samsung had promised at its Galaxy Unpacked event this summer that the feature would reach the Galaxy Ring in the fall.

What comes next

Samsung says it will bring the feature to more countries but has not named them. Owners of the Galaxy Watch 7 and 8 will need to wait for a software update with no set date. Separately, Engadget reports that Samsung and Oura are in a legal dispute over smart ring patents, with a preliminary decision expected soon.

Sources: Android Central, Samsung Newsroom, Engadget