Galaxy Ring became the first smart ring approved for sleep apnea

What is sleep apnea and why is it worth worrying about

Obstructive sleep apnea is when the airway becomes blocked repeatedly during sleep, causing breathing to be interrupted and the amount of oxygen in the blood to drop. Many people have it without knowing it. They just sleep enough hours but still wake up tired in the morning. If you want to know for sure, you have to have your sleep measured at a medical facility. It's quite laborious, so few people take the initiative.

Therefore, a daily wearable device that can remind you that there are suspicious signs and that you should go see a doctor is really useful. Samsung also makes it clear that this feature does not replace a doctor's diagnosis, is only for people 18 years of age or older and have never been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

It took almost 3 years to get to the ring

The first version of the feature was licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the De Novo category in February 2024, when it was the first time a wearable device was licensed to detect signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. The v2.0 upgrade was approved by the FDA on July 20, 2026, the Korean drug regulatory agency approved it in October, and on November 3, Samsung officially updated users through the Samsung Health Monitor application.

The new version is different from the old version

The old version essentially gave a yes or no conclusion. According to Android Authority, the new version monitors blood oxygen levels and breathing interruptions, then classifies the level of interruptions so users can bring that data to a doctor. Samsung calls this an algorithm that further analyzes sleep indicators.

Usage is not complicated. Just wear the ring or watch to bed for two valid nights within 10 days, with at least 5 hours of sleep each night. According to Samsung's support page, if you don't sleep enough hours, toss and turn too much, wear the watch too close to your wrist, or the signal is blocked, that night may not count.

What devices are supported

This batch includes the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch9 running Wear OS 7 or higher and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Galaxy Watch7 and Watch8 will be available later via software update, Samsung has not said the date. The feature runs in pairs, one app on the Galaxy phone and one app on the watch or ring, so it still requires an accompanying Samsung phone.

Currently, the upgraded version is only available in the US and Korea because it requires a medical license in each country. Samsung said it will continue to expand to more countries, but there is no specific schedule for Vietnam.

What are the benefits of wearing a ring to bed compared to a watch

I think the biggest advantage is habit. The watch is large, so many people take it out to charge at night or find it awkward when lying on their side. The ring is light, you can wear it all night without paying attention, and Samsung also emphasized this when saying why it brought the feature to the Galaxy Ring. If a feature requires data for many nights, then a device that people will wear to sleep is a useful device.

However, this is still a screening tool, not a diagnostic machine. If your ring or watch shows signs, you should go see a doctor. If you don't report it and still snore loudly or feel sleepy during the day, don't be subjective. Are any of you wearing Galaxy Ring to sleep every night?