NEW DELHI — Apple has introduced new health-focused features for users in India, including sleep apnea notifications on Apple Watch and a clinically validated hearing test for AirPods Pro users.
The company said the new features are designed to help users identify possible health issues and monitor their well-being through its wearable devices.
Apple Watch users in India will now receive sleep apnea notifications through a new Breathing Disturbances metric. The feature uses the watch’s accelerometer to detect wrist movements linked to interruptions in normal breathing patterns during sleep.
Apple said the feature analyzes breathing disturbance data over a 30-day period and alerts users if it detects consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. The alert encourages users to consult a doctor for further evaluation and possible treatment.
Users can also export a PDF report containing breathing disturbance data and related information to help support conversations with healthcare professionals.
“From sleep apnea notifications on Apple Watch to a hearing test with AirPods Pro, we are excited to bring these meaningful capabilities to our users in India,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s Vice President of Health and Fitness.
Apple said sleep apnea affects more than 1 billion people worldwide and often goes undiagnosed. If untreated, the condition can increase the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiac issues.
The company also said AirPods Pro users in India will now be able to access a clinically validated hearing test based on pure-tone audiometry. The test takes about five minutes and requires AirPods Pro paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad.
Users receive a summary of their hearing levels, including hearing loss measurements for each ear, classifications and recommendations, Apple said.
The results, including an audiogram, are stored securely in the Health app and can be shared with healthcare providers.
The Hearing Test feature is available on AirPods Pro 2 and later models running the latest firmware and paired with compatible devices using iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and later. (Source: IANS)
