ASX-listed sleep apnoea specialist ResMed Inc has welcomed Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, ETR:APC).'s foray into sleep health technology, stating that it will help prevent more individuals from “suffocating in their sleep.”
The tech giant introduced a sleep apnoea detection feature in its latest smartwatches at the 'It's Glowtime' event held at its Cupertino, California headquarters this week.
ResMed, also listed on the New York Stock Exchange with a market value of US$36.7 billion (A$55.14 billion), emphasised the widespread nature of the disorder, which affects approximately one in five Australians, with around 80% remaining undiagnosed.
Sleep apnoea causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, leading to serious health risks.
Chief executive Mick Farrell of ResMed refers to the condition as “sleep suffocation” and highlights that it is not just an issue for “middle-aged men who were snoring” but increasingly impacts younger populations, including women, who may exhibit less obvious symptoms such as mild snoring.
“Nearly 2.5 billion suffer from major sleep health and breathing disorders. As the market leader in these significantly underpenetrated markets, we're well-positioned as the clear leader to drive increased market penetration, demand generation, and accelerated growth for our businesses,” Farrell said.
“We're laser-focused on increasing awareness with the fast-growth population of sleep-health-interested consumers, creating virtual pathways that expand access to therapies, while offering a broad portfolio of medical device products, software solutions, and beyond, as we deliver value for all ResMed stakeholders.”
Collaborative approach?
ResMed's positive outlook on Apple’s involvement suggests a collaborative approach to raising awareness and promoting early detection of sleep apnoea, ultimately aiming to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases and improve health outcomes worldwide.
ResMed chief medical officer Carlos Nunez expects smartwatches to help save lives by raising awareness of dangerous medical conditions.
“A lack of awareness around sleep apnoea has contributed to millions of people worldwide losing quality rest, which in turn, can negatively impact their quality of life,” Dr Nunez said.
“Smart watches can play an important role in helping to increase sleep health quality for people, including those suffering from undiagnosed conditions like sleep apnoea.
“We are excited to see this news from Apple … and encouraged by the increased focus from technology companies on creating capabilities that not only track a person’s sleep but help identify signs and symptoms that could be tied to more serious health issues.”
ResMed makes devices, including CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines and masks, to treat sleep apnoea.
The company generated $4.7 billion in revenue last year, an 11% jump on 2023.
Sleep is vital to health
Apple’s vice president of health Sumbul Desai highlighted the “significant consequences” of sleep apnoea during the recent unveil.
“(It is) a major health condition that impacts over a billion people worldwide,” Dr Desai said.
“Sleep plays such a vital role in our overall health and wellbeing, and people with sleep apnoea can experience excessive daytime tiredness, have difficulties concentrating and be more irritable.
“But one of the biggest challenges is that 80% of people with sleep apnoea are undiagnosed, so they don’t know they have the condition to detect sleep apnoea.”
Dr Desai explained that the Apple Watch uses an accelerometer, a device that measures acceleration, to identify subtle wrist movements linked to disruptions in typical respiratory patterns during sleep.
“The detection algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning with an extensive data set of clinical grade sleep apnoea tests; it was then validated in a clinical study unprecedented in size for sleep apnoea technology,” she said.
She added that Apple anticipated clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shortly, along with approvals from other regulatory bodies.
The technology will be available in 150 countries and regions this month.
Hero pic from Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, ETR:APC).