Your next Galaxy Watch could do more than simply diagnose sleep apnea, thanks to a recent partnership with Stanford University. Samsung announced on Tuesday that the tech giant is teaming up with Stanford Medicine to enhance its obstructive sleep apnea feature on the smartwatch.

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The partnership's goal is to uncover ways and features that could not only recognize sleep apnea in a Galaxy Watch wearer but also provide meaningful insights for managing the condition. The tech brand plans to use AI to further this goal.

Samsung's obstructive sleep apnea feature has received de novo classification, a regulatory pathway that authorizes new health devices that are not created upon a "predicate device," from the US Food and Drug Administration. By late April, the feature will be available in 29 markets globally, according to the press release.

Underdiagnosed condition

Reports estimate that over 30 million people in the US suffer from sleep apnea, and it is a condition that is often underdiagnosed. That explains why several tech brands, including Apple, OnePlus, and Samsung, have created insights and detections in their smartwatches that spot sleep apnea, making symptom spotting and diagnosis accessible for more people. Apple's Series 10 and Ultra 2 Apple Watch gained FDA clearance for the feature last year, and OnePlus is aiming to do the same with its Watch 3.

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"The ethical, equitable and evidence-based use of technology, after its validation through research is crucial in developing new approaches to detection and management of sleep apnea and other serious sleep-related health conditions," said Robson Capasso, MD, FAASM, Chief of Sleep Surgery, Professor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, former Associate Dean of Research, Stanford University School of Medicine.

Comprehensive system

The focus on condition management, compared to condition detection, is reflective of a greater trend within the wearables space. Thanks to advancements in AI, tech brands can now develop and deploy features that detect all sorts of conditions, from atrial fibrillation to sleep apnea. Where the wearables space is headed, however, is more toward symptom management. 

Also: How Google is using AI to improve its medical advice reputation

We can see this most clearly through the AI doctors these brands are working on or deploying. All these advancements lead to what Samsung's head of digital health referred to as "a comprehensive system that supports you through every stage of your health journey," during its Samsung Unpacked event.

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"Our vision is to develop a comprehensive system that supports you through every stage of your health journey," said Praveen Raja. "From measuring your current health to giving you personalized health insights and coaching, and connecting you with providers and caregivers."

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