If you wear a Galaxy Ring to bed and pair it with a Galaxy phone, you can now check for signs of sleep apnea without buying a watch. Samsung said on November 3 that its updated Sleep Apnea feature is live in the US on the Galaxy Ring and the Galaxy Watch9. Until then, the only firm date Samsung had given for the ring was a Korean rollout in November.
The FDA cleared this version in July, and it's the first time the check runs on a ring. It follows the watch-only version Samsung released in July 2024.
Which devices get it now
Samsung's footnote lists two:
- Galaxy Ring
- Galaxy Watch9 running Wear OS 7.0 or later
The Galaxy Watch7 and Watch8 are due to get it "through future software updates," with no date. The footnote doesn't name the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, so Ultra owners should wait for Samsung to say more before counting on it.
The check runs in the Samsung Health Monitor app, and the ring or watch has to be paired with a compatible Galaxy phone. It's for adults 18 and older who haven't been diagnosed with sleep apnea. The ring has to record two usable nights within 10 days.
A count instead of a yes or no
Samsung's 2024 version only told you whether it saw signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. The new version also estimates your breathing disruptions per hour. According to the FDA's 510(k) summary, the result is positive when the time-weighted average across the two nights reaches 15 or more per hour. You then see your average, along with advice to talk to your doctor.
The estimate gives you more detail to discuss with a clinician. It is a screening result, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a sleep study.
The ring misses more cases
In the study behind the clearance, the ring missed 44 of 199 participants with moderate to severe sleep apnea. The watch missed 19 of 207. The reported ring specificity was higher, meaning fewer false positives among participants without that level of apnea. The study population was enriched for sleep-apnea assessment, so these counts are not a prediction of your individual result.
A negative result does not rule out sleep apnea. FDA labeling says the feature does not replace diagnosis and treatment by a qualified clinician. Discuss symptoms or an existing concern with a doctor even if the ring does not flag it.
Our take
If you already own a compatible ring and Galaxy phone, this can provide screening information to discuss with your doctor. It is for adults without a previous sleep-apnea diagnosis. We would not buy the ring solely for this check: the watch had higher reported sensitivity in the clearance study, and neither result replaces clinical care.
