Aditya DidwaniyaApple has rolled out two major health features for Indian users sleep apnea alerts on Apple Watch and a clinical-grade hearing test on AirPods Pro. Both tools work right at home, no clinic visit needed.
Apple Brings Health Monitoring Features to India
Apple has officially launched two powerful health tools for users in India. The move announced on May 21, 2026 marks a significant step in Apple’s push to turn everyday wearables into personal health companions. Indian users can now access sleep apnea notifications on Apple Watch and a hearing test feature on AirPods Pro, both cleared by Indian regulators.
What the Sleep Apnea Feature Does
The Apple Watch now tracks a new metric called “Breathing Disturbances.” Using the watch’s built-in accelerometer, the device monitors wrist movements tied to irregular breathing during sleep. The system gathers data over at least 10 nights within a 30-day window and flags users if it consistently detects signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
The feature works on the Apple Watch SE (3rd generation), Apple Watch Series 9 and newer, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later models. It targets adults above 18 years who have not previously received a sleep apnea diagnosis.
The underlying algorithm was trained on over 11,000 nights of sleep data collected from more than 4,700 participants across different age groups, body types, ethnicities, and genders. That is a wide base, making the detection model notably thorough.
Users can review their nightly breathing disturbance history inside the Apple Health app spanning one month, six months, or a full year. They can also export a PDF report to share with their doctor. The app includes educational content about sleep apnea as well.
Apple noted that the condition affects more than one billion people globally and most never know they have it. Left untreated, sleep apnea can raise risks of hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and serious cardiac issues over time.
The AirPods Pro Hearing Test Done in Five Minutes
Alongside the watch feature, Apple has brought a clinical-grade hearing test to AirPods Pro users in India. The test accessible through the Hearing section on a compatible iPhone or iPad takes roughly five minutes to complete.
The feature uses pure-tone audiometry a standard clinical method to assess how well the user hears across multiple sound frequencies. Before the test begins, the system checks the surrounding environment for noise levels to make sure conditions are right for an accurate result.
Once done, users receive a detailed summary including a hearing loss measurement for each ear, a classification level, and personalised recommendations. All data is saved securely in the Apple Health app for easy sharing with a healthcare provider.
The hearing test is available on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3, running the latest firmware, paired with devices using iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and above.
What Apple Executives Said
Apple’s senior vice president of Marketing, Greg Joswiak, took to X to celebrate the expansion. He said Apple Health now reaches over 160 countries and regions adding that he was “thrilled” to offer “sleep apnea notifications and Hearing Test in India.”
Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, shared the company’s broader vision behind the launch. “At Apple, we believe technology should empower people to take control of their health, and that starts with giving users tools to detect conditions they may not even know they have,” she said. “From sleep apnea notifications on Apple Watch to a hearing test with AirPods Pro, we’re excited to bring these meaningful capabilities to our users in India.”
A Note for Users
These features are powerful health tools but they are not a replacement for a medical diagnosis. If the Apple Watch sends a sleep apnea alert or if the AirPods hearing test returns a concerning result consulting a qualified doctor remains the right next step. Think of these tools as early warning systems, not final answers.
The BRICS Times
Pratik Agrawal
Akshay Didwaniya
