The Apple Watch is the canonical reference of DEPLOY's biometric cohort: the broadest FDA-cleared portfolio and the largest installed base, the benchmark the rings (Oura), bands (Whoop), and other watches (Pixel, Samsung) are measured against.
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The cleared portfolio is verified and unusually deep: ECG and AFib notifications (De Novo 2018), sleep-apnea notifications (2024), and hypertension notifications (2025), with no subscription required for the medical features.
The range above is verified: about $399 for the Series base (aluminum, GPS), around $799 for the Ultra, and about $249 for the SE (which lacks ECG). It is a hardware purchase; there is no subscription for the FDA-cleared medical features.
Availability
Shipping now
The Apple Watch is shipping and consumer-available; the current hardware is the Series 11 and Ultra 3 (September 2025), with the Series 9/10 and Ultra 2 supported. It has the largest installed base in the biometric cohort.
Real-world status
The Apple Watch is the canonical reference of the biometric cohort and carries the broadest FDA-cleared portfolio: ECG and AFib/irregular-rhythm notifications (De Novo 2018), sleep-apnea notifications (2024), and hypertension notifications (2025), plus fall and crash detection and the Vitals app. Its sensors (optical PPG, electrical ECG, temperature, blood-oxygen) need no subscription for the cleared medical features. DEPLOY holds the claims to the specific cleared indications: these are cleared features with defined scope, not a general cardiac or sleep diagnostic.
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The clearances cover specific indications and study populations. Do not read 'FDA-cleared' features as a general cardiac or sleep diagnostic; each is a defined, cleared capability.
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A within-entity verified-vs-claimed exemplar: Apple disabled blood-oxygen in the US in January 2024 over the Masimo ITC ruling, then re-enabled it in August 2025 via a paired-iPhone calculation redesign. The feature's availability tracked the litigation, not the hardware.
Biometric watches: Apple vs Samsung vs Pixel
Apple Watch
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Google Pixel Watch
Price
From $399
🟢verified
From ~$300
🟢verified
$349-$399
🟢verified
FDA portfolio
ECG/AFib + sleep apnea + hypertension
🟢verified
ECG + AFib + sleep apnea
🟢verified
Loss-of-pulse De Novo + ECG
🟢verified
Subscription
None (cleared features)
🟢verified
None
🟢verified
Optional Premium
🟢verified
Maker
Apple
🟢verified
Samsung
🟢verified
Google (Fitbit)
🟢verified
Notable
SpO2 disabled then re-enabled
🟢verified
BP cleared abroad, not US
🟢verified
First-of-kind loss-of-pulse
🟢verified
Sources: DEPLOY registry, Apple / FDA, Samsung / FDA, Google / FDA
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Apple Watch?
About $399 for the Series base, $799 for the Ultra, and $249 for the SE (no ECG)🟢verified. A hardware purchase with no subscription for the FDA-cleared features.
What health features are FDA-cleared on the Apple Watch?
ECG and AFib notifications (De Novo 2018), sleep-apnea notifications (2024), and hypertension notifications (2025)🟢verified, each a specific cleared indication, not a general diagnostic.
Does the Apple Watch measure blood oxygen?
Yes, again🟢verified. It was disabled in the US in January 2024 over the Masimo ITC ruling and re-enabled in August 2025 via a paired-iPhone redesign.
Does the Apple Watch need a subscription?
No🟢verified, not for the FDA-cleared medical features. The watch is a one-time hardware purchase.
How does the Apple Watch compare to the others?
It has the broadest cleared portfolio and largest installed base🟢verified; Samsung is close (ECG/AFib/sleep apnea), Pixel has first-of-kind loss-of-pulse, and Oura/Whoop are ring/band form factors.
Pricing and availability are tagged verified or claimed against primary sources. Manufacturer targets are reported as targets, not prices you can pay today.