At a virtual event today, Apple unveiled its Apple Watch Series 10 with new health and fitness features and AirPods Pro 2 with hearing test and over-the-counter hearing aid capabilities.
Watch Series 10
Apple Watch Series 10 will include a new Sleep Apnea feature that uses the accelerometer to measure a new metric called Breathing Disturbances.
The Health App will provide users with insights into the restfulness of their sleep, and every 30 days, the Watch will analyze the gathered Breathing Disturbances data to notify the wearer of consistent patterns that may indicate moderate to severe sleep apnea.
If the potential for sleep apnea is detected, users will receive a detailed report to show to their doctor to discuss the results.
The company’s detection algorithm was developed using machine learning with a dataset of sleep apnea tests and then validated in a clinical study.
“We expect clearance from the FDA and other regulators very soon with availability in over 150 countries and regions this month, including the U.S., Europe and Japan,” Dr. Sumbul Ahmad Desai, vice president of health at Apple, said during the event.
Apple will also include sleep apnea notifications in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 updates.
Regarding the physical features of the Series 10, the company said it has the largest display thus far, bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra, with 30 percent more screen area. It also has an optimized display to be 40% brighter.
The Watch will come in aluminum or titanium finishes, and it is the thinnest Apple Watch at 9.7 mm. Media, like music or podcasts, can be played through the speaker.
The Apple Watch battery can be charged up to 80% in 30 minutes, and it includes Apple’s S10, which enables fall and crash detection.
Series 10 has the fattest charging time in a Watch yet, with an 18-hour battery life. The Watch will also have a built-in depth gauge for water activities, which automatically launches when the Watch is submerged, and a water temperature sensor.
The company also announced fitness tracking capabilities with the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, including a compass app, offline features for hikers, dual-frequency GPS and positioning software.
The Ultra also includes a Training Load feature, which provides insights for users to plan when to exercise and when to recover.
The Apple Watch Series 10 will retail at $399, and the Watch Ultra starts at $799 and will be available on Sept. 20. Users can begin pre-ordering the watches.
AirPods Pro 2
The tech giant also announced its new AirPods Pro 2 with hearing loss-related health features focused on prevention, awareness and assistance.
The AirPods Pro 2 will include “clinical-grade” hearing features, including machine learning that automatically reduces louder noises and a “clinically-validated” hearing test, where users can use the Health app and AirPods Pro 2 to gain insights into their hearing health.
“To help users minimize exposure [to loud environments], we’re adding Hearing Protection to Airpods Pro by default across listening modes,” Kate Bergeron, VP of hardware engineering at Apple, said during the event. “Machine learning on the H2 chip actively reduces louder, more intermittent noise at 48,000 times per second.”
The hearing test is a five-minute check that users can take at home using their iPhone and AirPods Pro. Users tap the iPhone screen when they hear a series of tones at different volumes and frequencies.
The test builds on insights from Apple’s hearing study and was developed using real-world data. Results are then given to users in a personalized hearing profile within the Health App.
For assistance, the company announced the AirPods 2 can also be used as clinical-grade over-the-counter hearing aids.
“After you take the hearing test, your AirPods Pro are transformed into a personal hearing aid using the specific sounds you need in real-time, like parts of speech or elements within your environment,” Dr. Desai said.
“With the amazing audio quality of AirPods Pro, your hearing profile is automatically applied to music, movies and phone calls across all of your devices without needing to adjust any settings at all.”
The company expects to receive clearance from the FDA and other regulators soon with the hearing test and hearing aid features available in over 100 countries and regions, including the U.S., Germany and Japan.
The features will also be available in a software update for AirPods Pro 2 and iOS 18.
Apple’s new generation of AirPods will also include personalized spatial audio and the ability to shake your head yes or no to interact with Siri.
The company also revealed its new iterations of the iPhone, which will include Apple Intelligence, an artificial intelligence platform generated by Apple. The AI will allow for numerous personalization features, including writing and communication tools, image generation and editing features, and personal Siri.
