EARLY PROBLEM INDICATOR:
Apple also secured approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to provide a hearing test feature to users of its AirPods Pro 2

The sleep apnea detection feature on Apple Watch has become available in Taiwan after it received approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare for use as a medical device, Apple said on Wednesday.

Apple on its Web site said that the sleep apnea function is now available in Taiwan on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.

Photo: AP

The sleep-related breathing disorder is likely to affect physical and mental health conditions.

So far, more than 150 nations and regions around the world have gained access to Apple Watch’s sleep apnea feature.

Apple Watch users can detect sleep apnea by wearing the watch for several consecutive nights to get an initial reading through the Breathing Disturbances detection function on a health app.

The sleep apnea detection function uses the device’s accelerometer for 30 minutes a day to monitor tiny movements in the wrist that are linked to interruptions in respiratory patterns.

Disturbances occurring multiple times over several nights after an analysis of the 30-minute records could indicate sleep apnea.

It is estimated that more than 400,000 people in Taiwan suffer from sleep apnea, which could trigger strokes, dementia, heart attacks and myocardial infarction.

Apple also secured approval from the ministry to provide a hearing test feature to users of AirPods Pro 2.

The feature can evaluate how well AirPods users perceive different sound frequencies and tones, which would potentially offer an early indicator of hearing problems.

The hearing aid on AirPods Pro 2 is also available to users who have mild or moderate hearing loss, Apple said.

Meanwhile, YouTube is to launch a Premium Lite membership in Taiwan as part of a trial rollout.

The lower-priced membership is expected to launch nationwide in the coming weeks.

Retailing at NT$119 per month, it offers a “new way to enjoy the YouTube you love,” with most YouTube and YouTube Kids videos able to be viewed ad-free across multiple devices, YouTube said.

The lite membership does not offer premium features including offline mode or background play, and ads could still appear on music content, Shorts, and when you search or browse, it said.