Apple has expanded its health focused ecosystem in India by bringing sleep apnoea notifications to Apple Watch and a new Hearing Test feature to AirPods Pro users.
Quick Summary – TLDR:
- Apple Watch can now notify users in India about possible signs of moderate to severe sleep apnoea.
- AirPods Pro users can now take a clinically validated hearing test at home in about five minutes.
- The new features are part of Apple’s wider global expansion of health tools across more than 160 countries and regions.
- Apple says these tools are designed to help users detect health conditions earlier and speak to doctors sooner.
What Happened?
Apple has officially rolled out two major health features for users in India. The company announced that sleep apnoea notifications are now available on supported Apple Watch models, while AirPods Pro users can access a new Hearing Test feature through compatible iPhone and iPad devices.
The announcement is part of Apple’s broader push into personal health technology. The company says its latest health tools are now available in more than 160 countries and regions worldwide.
Apple Health is integral to users’ lives, and we’re expanding important features globally. I’m thrilled we offer them in 160+ countries and regions, including Hearing Aid in Italy, hypertension notifications in Taiwan, and sleep apnea notifications and Hearing Test in India!
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) May 21, 2026
Apple Watch Can Now Detect Signs of Sleep Apnoea
One of the biggest additions is the new sleep apnoea notification feature on Apple Watch. Sleep apnoea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. According to Apple, the disorder affects more than 1 billion people globally, and many remain undiagnosed for years.
Apple Watch uses a feature called Breathing Disturbances to monitor sleep patterns. The watch relies on its accelerometer to detect tiny wrist movements associated with interrupted breathing during sleep.
Every 30 days, the device analyses this breathing disturbance data. If the system identifies patterns linked to moderate to severe sleep apnoea, the user receives a notification suggesting they speak with a healthcare professional.
Apple says untreated sleep apnoea can increase the risk of conditions like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and heart related problems over time.
Users can also export a PDF report from the Health app that includes breathing disturbance data, possible sleep apnoea events, and additional information that can be shared with doctors.
The feature is supported on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, along with Apple Watch Ultra 2 and newer supported models.
AirPods Pro Now Offer At Home Hearing Tests
Apple has also introduced a new Hearing Test feature for AirPods Pro users in India. The company says the feature is clinically validated and based on the standard clinical method known as pure tone audiometry.
Users can complete the hearing test in around five minutes using compatible AirPods Pro, an iPhone, or an iPad. After the test, users receive a simple summary showing hearing levels for each ear, hearing loss classification, and recommendations.
The results are securely stored in the Health app, where users can also access an audiogram and share the data with healthcare providers if needed.
Apple says the feature was developed using large scale real world data and insights from the Apple Hearing Study.
The Hearing Test feature currently supports AirPods Pro 2 and later running the latest firmware alongside compatible devices using iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and later.
Apple Expands Health Features Globally
Apple executive Greg Joswiak confirmed the expansion in a post on X, saying Apple Health features are now available across more than 160 countries and regions.
Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, said:
She added that Apple is “excited to bring these meaningful capabilities to our users in India.”
SQ Magazine Takeaway
I think Apple is slowly turning its ecosystem into something much bigger than just consumer tech. Features like sleep apnoea detection and hearing tests may sound small at first, but they can genuinely help people notice serious health problems early. What makes this important is the convenience. Millions of people already wear an Apple Watch or use AirPods daily, and now those devices can quietly monitor health in the background without needing a clinic visit every time. That is a huge shift in how personal healthcare could work in the future.
