Apple expands health push in India with sleep apnea detection and at-home hearing tests

Apple on Tuesday rolled out two major health-focused features for users in India, bringing sleep apnea notifications to the Apple Watch and clinically validated hearing tests to AirPods Pro 3 as the company deepens its push into preventive healthcare through consumer devices.The new features aim to help users identify health conditions that often go undiagnosed for years. Sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, is estimated to affect more than one billion people globally and is linked to conditions including hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.Apple said the Apple Watch feature uses the device’s accelerometer to track “Breathing Disturbances” — small wrist movements associated with interrupted breathing patterns during sleep. The watch analyses this data every 30 days and alerts users if it detects consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea, encouraging them to seek medical advice.Users can also export a PDF report containing breathing disturbance data spanning three months, allowing them to share results with doctors for further evaluation. The feature was developed using machine learning and validated using clinical-grade sleep apnea data, Apple said.“At Apple, we believe technology should empower people to take control of their health,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, adding that the company wants to help users identify conditions they “may not even know they have”.Alongside sleep tracking, Apple is also introducing an at-home hearing test for AirPods Pro users in India. The feature uses a standard clinical method known as pure-tone audiometry and allows users to check hearing levels in around five minutes using compatible Apple devices.After completing the test, users receive an audiogram and a summary showing hearing loss levels in each ear, along with recommendations. The results are stored in the Health app and can be shared with healthcare professionals.