Apple Expands Health Monitoring in India with Sleep Apnea and Hearing Features
Apple has officially rolled out two critical health monitoring features for users in India: sleep apnea notifications for the Apple Watch and a clinical-grade Hearing Test for AirPods Pro. These additions reinforce Apple's commitment to proactive health management, leveraging advanced sensor technology to detect common but often undiagnosed conditions.
How the Apple Watch Detects Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, leading to fragmented rest and long-term health risks. The Apple Watch uses its built-in accelerometer to monitor subtle wrist movements caused by irregular breathing patterns. By analyzing this data over several nights, the watch can identify consistent disturbances and alert users to potential sleep apnea.
Supported Apple Watch Models
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Series 10
- Apple Watch Series 11
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
- Apple Watch Ultra 3
The feature is available in over 150 countries, including India. Users must wear the watch consistently during sleep for several nights to receive an initial reading. All nightly breathing disturbance data is logged in the iPhone's Health app for easy review.
AirPods Pro Hearing Test: A Clinical-Grade Tool at Home
Apple has also introduced a hearing test for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 users in India. This test mimics the professional audiogram process used by audiologists, allowing users to check their hearing health conveniently from home.
How the Hearing Test Works
To begin, connect your AirPods Pro to an iPhone running iOS 18.1 or later or an iPad running iPadOS 18.1 or later. The test plays tones at varying frequencies and sound levels in each ear. Users simply tap the display when they hear a sound.
Frequencies Tested and Results Interpretation
- 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, and 4kHz are tested in each ear.
- 0–25 dBHL: Little to no hearing loss
- 26–40 dBHL: Mild hearing loss
- 41–60 dBHL: Moderate hearing loss
- 61–80 dBHL: Severe hearing loss
- Above 80 dBHL: Profound hearing loss
The results, including a detailed audiogram, are stored in the Health app and can be shared with a healthcare provider for informed consultations.
Global Expansion and Future Updates
According to a post on X by Apple's Greg Joswiak, Apple Health features are now available in over 160 countries and regions globally. Additionally, Apple recently brought its Hearing Aid feature to Italy and hypertension notifications to Taiwan, indicating a broader push to integrate more medical-grade health tools into its ecosystem.
With these launches, Apple continues to position its wearable devices as essential health companions, offering users in India and around the world actionable insights into their well-being.
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