Health Canada Approves Apple Watch Sleep Apnea Feature

Health Canada this week approved the sleep apnea detection feature on watchOS 11 for the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2, according to filings spotted by MacRumors.

The feature launched earlier this month in the United States and over 150 other countries and regions. But Canada wasn’t part of the launch. Now, with this approval, Apple can bring the feature to Canadians with a software update.

Sleep apnea is a condition where a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep, often leading to snoring or gasping and resulting in daytime fatigue. It can also contribute to other health problems.

The sleep apnea feature is geared toward adults aged 18 and older who have not been previously diagnosed with the condition. Typically, diagnosing sleep apnea requires a visit to a sleep clinic or the use of home testing equipment. With the new feature, more users may be able to identify potential symptoms of sleep apnea just by wearing their Apple Watch.

Health Canada has previously approved other Apple Watch heart monitoring features, including AFib history, ECG, and irregular rhythm notifications. Sometimes it takes a while for new features to come here (because Canada).

Other missing Apple features in Canada? That includes the Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2, which has not been approved and is unlikely to be introduced here, as it’s not allowed to buy hearing aid products over the counter, unlike in the U.S.