At the highly anticipated September Glowtime event, Apple officially introduced its Apple Watch 10, boasting performance enhancements and the cutting-edge S10 chip. While these upgrades are impressive, the standout feature is the device’s ability to detect sleep apnea—a condition that could revolutionize how users monitor their health during sleep.

This capability has been the subject of speculation, and in a rare instance, the predictions were right on the mark. However, there’s a significant caveat: the sleep apnea detection feature won’t be available right away. Apple is still awaiting FDA clearance, meaning the functionality won’t roll out at launch.

Although launching a flagship feature without the necessary approvals might seem risky, it’s likely that Apple is confident the feature will eventually gain clearance. Sleep apnea is a condition where an individual unknowingly stops breathing during sleep, which makes it difficult for sufferers to realize they’re affected. A feature like this could prove invaluable in identifying this condition early and helping people seek treatment.

For potential buyers, this poses a dilemma. If sleep apnea detection is a key reason you’re considering the Apple Watch 10, it might be wise to hold off on your purchase for a few months. Apple has assured users that once clearance is obtained, a software update will activate the feature, making it accessible to all.

Interestingly, this is one of the rare moments where Apple finds itself lagging behind competitors. The Oura Ring has offered sleep apnea detection for some time, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 includes similar functionality—although it requires pairing with a Galaxy phone. Moreover, unlike Apple, Samsung launched its sleep apnea feature only after securing FDA approval.