Apple prospects in Australia are going with out some key software program options of their iPhones and Apple Watches after the corporate launched its main working system updates final week.
In contrast to in america and greater than 150 different nations, Australian customers who’ve up to date their Apple Watch software program are unable to make use of their gadgets’ sleep apnoea notifications function, because it has not been permitted by Australia’s well being gadget regulator.
Apple positioned sleep apnoea notifications as a key new function in its newest product bulletins earlier this month, and marketed it as “further expanding” the well being capabilities of its Apple Watch.
Australian prospects have additionally been unable to make use of RCS messaging (Wealthy Communications Companies) on their iPhones, regardless of Apple and its rivals having mentioned it might permit for higher messaging experiences between Apple and Android gadgets.
Whereas RCS capabilities have been included in Apple’s iOS 18 software program replace on 17 September, Australia’s main telecommunications suppliers haven’t introduced assist for the function.
Apple determined to implement RCS following stress from European regulators and Google — the first developer of the Android working system.
Apple declined to remark relating to the shortage of sleep apnoea notifications on Apple Watch in Australia or native cellular carriers not supporting RCS.
Sleep apnoea function unapproved
When Apple launched its up to date Apple Watch software program watchOS 11 final week, it added a brand new function to its Sequence 9, 10 and Extremely 2 fashions which was designed to detect indicators of sleep apnoea in adults.
The function was instantly out there in greater than 150 nations together with the US, United Kingdom, Japan, and the European Union, simply earlier than the Sequence 10 went on sale on 20 September.
Australia and Canada have been among the many only a few English-speaking nations which had not but permitted the function.
Sleep apnoea is a medical situation wherein an individual experiences interrupted respiratory whereas they’re asleep.
In its most extreme instances, sleeping will be interrupted greater than 30 occasions per hour, having main impacts on sleep high quality and growing the danger of coronary heart assault, stroke, and irregular coronary heart rhythms.
Round 5 per cent of Australians are estimated to expertise sleep apnoea, based on Neuroscience Analysis Australia.
The Apple Watch sleep apnoea notifications function, which requires approval by the regulators in every respective nation, notifies a person when their Apple Watch notices a rise in respiratory disturbances throughout sleep, Apple mentioned.
“Apple Watch uses the accelerometer to monitor small movements at the wrist that are associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns,” the corporate mentioned.
Whereas the aptitude was introduced as one of many key new options within the US model of the press launch asserting Apple Watch Sequence 10 final week, it was fully redacted from the Australian model.
Australia’s Therapeutic Items Administration (TGA) wouldn’t disclose whether or not Apple had submitted a sleep apnoea system for regulatory approval, however confirmed one had not but been permitted.
Samsung was the primary firm to supply sleep apnoea notifications on a sensible watch after gaining regulatory approval within the US earlier this yr, however its function additionally has not but been permitted in Australia.
Sleep doctor Dr Linda Schachter, a board member of the Sleep Well being Basis, mentioned whereas Australia mustn’t permit a “free for all” in relation to regulating medical gadgets, approving applied sciences which detected indicators of sleep apnoea would assist folks monitor their well being.
“It is important that we aren’t behind other countries because it would be great to be getting people looking at variations in their breathing and oxygen levels on these devices, which may suggest sleep apnoea,” she mentioned.
“It’s a great way to get folks to go and communicate to their physician about their dangers for sleep apnoea and get formally examined and handled.”
Schachter mentioned practitioners have been starting to see folks coming to them after being notified of potential issues by their wearable gadgets, which she described as “fantastic”.
Sleep-related respiratory issues have been discovered to be “quite common” however occured extra typically in older males, based on a 2021 report by the Australian Institute of Well being and Welfare.
Such issues have been public well being points that have been typically seen as “unrecognised, under-reported, and that has high economic costs”, the report mentioned.
Australia waited years for earlier Apple Watch options
Australian Apple Watch customers beforehand waited years for the gadget’s electrocardiogram (ECG) and irregular coronary heart rhythm notification options to develop into out there domestically.
Apple introduced the options with the Apple Watch Sequence 4 in September 2018 and launched them in December of that yr within the US, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands.
The options have been permitted by Australia’s TGA in March 2021, earlier than turning into out there to Apple Watch customers in Might of that yr, two-and-a-half years after they have been made out there within the US.
Australians waited greater than two years for the Apple Watch’s ECG and irregular coronary heart rhythm options to develop into out there domestically. Picture: Apple / Equipped
On the time, the options have been heralded as breakthroughs by many medical professionals, as they offered sufferers with helpful knowledge which they typically introduced into GP clinics.
Within the US, Apple eliminated blood oxygen monitoring capabilities from its Apple Watches starting on 18 January 2024, as a result of an ongoing patent dispute between the agency and medical gadgets firm Masimo.
Telcos not supporting RCS
One other new function of Apple’s newest software program updates which Australians haven’t be capable of use is RCS — an instantaneous messaging protocol designed to interchange SMS and MMS.
RCS permits for conversations between gadgets which run totally different working methods (akin to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android) which have options akin to typing indicators, learn receipts, emoji reactions, and high-quality multimedia, in addition to higher group messaging.
Whereas Apple’s iOS 18 software program enabled RCS, Australia’s main telecommunications suppliers haven’t introduced assist for it.
Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom/Vodafone confirmed their networks didn’t at present assist RCS.
Nevertheless, TPG Telecom/Vodafone mentioned it was constructing [RCS] into its “product roadmap” and would “firm up a launch date”.
A Telstra spokesperson mentioned “as support for new features like RCS messaging are made available in Australia by our partners, Telstra will explore development and testing that is required to enable for our customers.”
Apple’s anticipated synthetic intelligence software program, Apple Intelligence, was not out there on the corporate’s new gadgets once they have been launched final week, however are anticipated to roll out slowly over the approaching months
* This story first appeared on Info Age. You possibly can learn the unique right here.
