I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail with no satellite communication device, and got an Inreach after. I carried it on the Benton Mackaye and the Pinhoti, and sold it when I got an Iphone 15, which to me is an acceptable substitute for it. It allows me to carry one less device, and worry about one less thing to keep charged.
Exactly my thoughts. If iphone acquires the ability to continue running some form of GPS off-road and beam that location live to another iphone via satellite, which current inreaches are capable of, that'll be the nail in the coffin. Deletes a whole host of wires and inreaches from my duffle.
I’m with you, I got what you were putting out after the first video. As much as I enjoy all your content, don’t feel like you need to make videos like this, ignore the haters and the ignorant folks.
My wife was just using the iphone sat sms while we were camping in the Smokies. It was a nice way to ask someone for some weather updates for that night and the following morning. She looked silly holding it up to the sky, but it worked pretty flawlessly with the tall tree cover. Receiving was a little annoying because you would have to keep checking and aligning with satellites to see if there is anything waiting to come through. The funny thing about this is that she had just bought me a Garmin GPSMAP 67i a week before the apple event to use on my trail runs and while I appreciated the thought, it was ultimately returned. The subscription fees for how often it would be used was way too high for something that can be replaced with an existing device, and i don't want to carry any more than i have to when trail running.
As a recreational trail runner. I find myself sometimes in areas with no service. I have considered a garmin in reach just for emergency use. I bought iPhone 14 Pro for the satellite feature. I definitely see this feature as a value piece.
I love my InReach but the subscription fees are out of hand. I don’t know how Apple will be able to offer the service for less but I’m hoping it pressures Garmin to compete.
Some people like Garmin and some people like Apple. It is good to have options. People that spend time bad mouthing one or the other are wasting their time. Get out there and have fun.
Here is another use case for Apple’s new feature. Not everyone is hiking or biking, when they are somewhere without cell service. I live in Indianapolis, IN. I the past year, I have been within 1 hour North, South, East, and West of the city and been without cell service. There may be times you need to get a message to someone, in those locations. You can’t call or text. In that situation, satellite texting could come in handy. I am not going to subscribe to a garmin device for off chance that I might want to send a text in that scenario. But, it would be nice if the device I already have with me could allow me to send a message.
I would never trust a device which relies on a big fragile screen as my only emergency communication options. I would get an InReach device in addition because they are rugged and aren’t going to run out of battery because some process decided to run wild. I think satellite on a phone is a great added feature but it won’t replace anything for the people serious about staying in communication. It’s a great second device instead of carrying two InReach devices for redundancy.
in reach saved my ass, during a snowmobiling trip in the middle of nowhere. Phone died, due to it being too cold to operate. Without the satellite tracking trail left on my in reach, I would have probably gotten lost in "Lost Trails, Montana"
apple not ready yet... they dont have enough satelites yet and it takes significant effort in some areas to get a signal. Hold off for Elan's sat/cell phone.
I just used it several times during a 100 mile ultramarathon to contact my wife and it worked surprisingly well. Yes, you do need to stop and position the phone a certain way but in most cases I was able to send off a message within 2-3 minutes if I had a somewhat open view of the sky.
I saw your first CZcams on the Apple Satellite Messaging a moment ago. I didn't comment or read many comments. Then I saw this one. I have an IPhone 13 so Apple's satellite messaging doesn't apply to me but ..... then you mentioned T-Mobile. I have T-Mobile so when I go camping maybe I will have communication with my wife when cellular coverage is not available. You had a brilliant point about turning off the cell phone to conserve battery. I bought a cell phone for me. Not for anyone else, except my wife of course. So, if I turn it off and later turn it back on I am sure most of the messages, phone calls, and emails are going to be a very low priority. Turning on my phone in the evening to check for messages will not be a long delay for higher priority contacts. I am curious though if Find My Friend will work with T-Mobiles future satellite coverage. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I liked both videos and subscribed.
I think all these arguments are more reflective of their personal biases. I take my dirt bike out on the trails on state land. I was way out in the woods and stopped by a lake to take a rest. While sitting on the bank, I started thinking, what would I do if my bike went down. I didn’t have fire starting provisions but could use the bikes battery and spark plug and gas. No food, no water without a way to filter what was available. Far too little clothing. I started researching satellite sos devices. This was just before the IPhone 14 released with satellite features. I waited and got the IPhone 15 pro max. Tons of battery and an added layer of protection from the unexpected without adding another monthly subscription.
On your first#1 Messaging over satellite not restricted to recreational use, of course. If you're in an emergency with an SOS device that has messaging feature, that feature will be used by responders to get info from you, to aid in rescue. #3 Yes, a lot of people out there are just carrying phones, and not sos devices (too many). This is great for them. But they weren't using sos devices anyway, so sales aren't lost to them. #3a you can unsubscribe and resubscribe from service plan with Garmin any time. So it's not 'every month', it's only for the time you wish to use it, say 3 months over summer. I only subscribe for around six months each year. #6. You make the point that if you don't have cell coverage, just turn your phone off and you have unlimited battery life. Sorta, but not really . Your phone is also a GPS device. You know those hikers that are only carrying a phone? Most of them are using GPS nav on that phone, through apps like Guthook, Alltrails, Gaia, etc. It's the most common way to navigate. So they can't just turn the phone off. Only a tiny proportion of those not already using a sos device are navigating with watch based maps (or even paper based maps. So no, they can't just leave their phone off. As you pointed out here, the title of the original was kinda click-bait. That's cool. But the responses were in part to that title, which is to be expected. With the current tech, it's not an InReach, or similar, killer. I'm sure it will hurt them in the long run, but not anytime soon. It's great for the people that currently don't use emergency device, but them using an iPhone in this way won't be taking sales away in any case.
I’m leaning towards the satellite features of Apple (Australia) but as I’m sick of paying for inreach month by month and not using I’ve cancelled that and as a back up to Apple got a PLB. Calculating the cost savings I’m $1365 Aus ahead over 7 years ( pending the finish of the free period of Apple)
A good PLB is low cost and has no monthly fee. This + iPhone for non-emergency backcountry texting is a great combo imo. Edit to add: this would be a great feature add to the Ultra watch.
Battery life of iPhones sucks big time, I don’t understand why people are willing to compromise on safety and if they do that the time will never come that they dearly regret that decision. An iPhone will never be a replacement for a dedicated device that might save your life
Great presentation with lots of detail and not requiring me to watch other videos to get up to speed. Now that the iphone can access topographic maps battery management and charge replenishment become more complicated. For people not wanting to go old school with compass and paper maps more detail on dealing with the limited battery life of a phone might be interesting.
I would LOVE to be able to text via satellite on my phone. I like the idea of the InReach, but like you mentioned, it's not a practical thing for me to pay for. That said, there are times when I would appreciate the ability to message my wife (for example) "I'm safe", "Running late", "Just got to the trailhead", etc. I generally don't have an issue with my phone battery going dead during a long run or even a multi-day backpack trip (will bring a battery bank if needed too). Thanks for the great video!!!
I solo backpack, and having the ability to share my location is a comfort so I will stay with Garmin inReach, but I also have the iPhone 14 too, so there is redundancy!
In cell service I think you can share your location with trusted friends already in the iphone, I wonder if that too will come to satellite service in future years?
It does but, however Garmin has it set up wherein my family can check my position anytime on my Garmin map page. If I don’t check in, or they are concerned, then can report my position to emergency services or give the location.
Great video and clarification! Technology sure is going to get better with time. That guy with the two broken arms, yea I can’t position my iPhone but good luck pulling your back pack off and grabbing the Garmin to activate SOS. lol
1. Device orientation: while not as critical as the need to point the iPhone for satellite communications, even the Garmin Mini prefers to keep its antenna pointed “up”. 2. Backup: for SOS purposes, a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), which never requires a subscription, would be the most cost-effective emergency backup to a satellite enabled phone.
Currently flying around the world. Garmin Inreach has been superior. I was able to try the SMS on the iPhone while in the US and it was great while it worked. I think that network will be nice in the future but right now Garmin is the way. It’s rugged and the battery lasts forever!
I’m very excited for this feature, especially as someone who has really limited funds I’m in a situation where I can’t afford a Garmin and for Apple to give this kind of security net and expand it to all messaging is a pretty incredible situation. I understand that there are lots of edge cases and emergencies where SOS is needed but as someone who goes outdoors I also believe that we all have a personal responsibility to triage medical situations, carry the ten essentials, and be able to react to bad situations. Ultimately there is not way to mitigate all risk and I am at peace with that while also being optimistic that my phone will do a great job at helping to call for help. I’m sure there are people out there who would prefer to buy a Garmin device, pay a subscription, and carry those devices but I am glad that I am able to do all of that with only limited drawbacks.
I need emergency text in the ocean, and only Iridium and Starlink has a coverage. So as much as I love my iPhone, I keep the InReach in my GoBag for sailing.
Years back I experienced a time while roaming through a rural area where I was denied cell phone usage with bars of signal. Cell service providers DO NOT have have the capacity to serve all their customers at the same time! Those companies can will and do prioritize their service to Gov and others if needed. Satellite communicators filled a needed nitch, especially in time of serious need emergency times for those equipped. Short of going HAM, or restricted pricey amateur radio route and or satellite phones and subscription way. Cell phones incorporating satellite capability has a potential of being a reality changer if they consider full service to all! I rely exclusively on my iPhone 14+ cellular device and would be devastated if I had no open means of contacting my loved ones in extreme times!
The live (or close to live) location is a good one for me; I spend lots of time in the mountains and could be in a situation where I'm unconscious or unable to access the device. Exciting time of innovation though :-) Thanks for the great content
If iphone can charge me something for data over satellite for camping days, with maybe a 2 day or 3 day plan, that would effectively kill all other options in one fell swoop.
PACE Plan... Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. My inReach isn't going anywhere anytime soon. inReach and can survive a drop alot better than a phone. plus battery life is 1000% better. Yes I have a iphone 15pro and and have used the sat message function, it worked. I wan to know long term is this going to be an upcharge???
I have been putting off giving a satellite communicator because I figured with the technology of the iPhone these days, they will likely go the route of my old GPS and become irrelevant. Crossing my fingers.
Question unrelated to the video. What is a good watch for tracking exercises that has heart rate monitoring? And one that doesn’t break the bank. It would be paired with an IPhone and Strava. Thanks.
I really like my Apple Watch Ultra even with the obvious battery life limitation but my friends are loving their Coros watches at the moment! There is not perfect watch so I’d just look at what is in budget and has the features that best match what you want out of it while also knowing your dealbreakers.
Best option for pretty much everyone: Buy a personal locator beacon for the actual emergency. Zero subscription fee’s and guaranteed to work. Use the phone for texts with friends and family that will be free and not under a plan or within a special app. Best of both worlds.
I have a Satcom because I always said, "when they are less than $100/year with search and rescure insurance, I'll own one." So I now own one. Ironicaly, now that I own one, every single place I've gone that use to not have cell phone coverage does now. In fat Most have 5G coverage now, including one forrest that use to have no coverage at all. So I rarely take it out at all, but I do wear it on the water and on motorcycle so I can easily call for help if overboard or injured.
I wonder if SOS via Satellite and Messaging via Satellite will be bundled together, or if SOS would be free, but Messaging would cost. But there have also been speculations that Apple might just drop the pricing for SOS via Satellite. That would be nice too.
Too long; didn't watch (i watched): there's options and that's awesome! Hopefully it'll encourage Garmin/Zoleo etc to make some upgrades. There's a market for all of it.
while hiking, I tend to stick the phone into aeroplane mode, and that gives my phone 4 days of battery, with regular photos en route. those radios are the biggest drain, especially if you're out of coverage and they're screaming their box off looking for a friend.
Reminds me of the time digital SLR cameras came to market. The film purists all said digital would never replace film. And so it is with Apple Satellite Messaging (or TMobile's Starlink Service) and the dedicated Garmin, Motorola, and Spot device fanboys. It's only a matter of time until those dedicated, single use devices are relics, not unlike the film SLR camera. Or the buggy whip. Book it.
That's an interesting analogy. I lived through that time and was a hardcore film shooter (in some ways still ove film!) but you're right. Very similar in how this technology will likely play out in the next 2-3 years.
Let them compete. Win for us. Personally, due to “BATTERY CAPACITY”, inReach is not obsolete. I think I’ll use inReach for emergency and pay the lowest subscription. (Wish garmin lowers the fee) Then use iPhone for casual texts. T-mobile thing is just icing on the top. Garmin’s prob is “unlimited plan” is simply too expensive. The real question is, will Apple integrate this new tech to “find my” feature and dramatically improve tracking function? (Currently a bit spotty)
Is Apple really going to offer this satellite service for free? I doubt it but if they do it will very likely only be for a quite limited time to get people hooked and then start demanding payment (which you cannot blame them for after they have invested millions in the project). If I felt I had a need for an SOS satellite devise because I spent prolonged periods in extremely remote areas I think I would get the Garmin and see the cost as an investment in my own safety. That said I think it is great that Apple has made it available on their newer phones but the cost of a new iPhone is way more than the Garmin device so I think they will still be selling the Garmin for years to come.
As a company who charges for every little thing, no doubt in my mind that Apple will charge a substantial amount in the near future to return their investment on these satellites, it would be naive to think otherwise
You seem to not be acknowledging the main use cases - hunters, backcountry skiers and snowboarders, offroaders and overlanders, mountaineering, rock climbers, etc. If you're staying on frequently traveled hiking trails, then it won't be long until someone who can help comes along.
I agree with you Apple features are game changing, the Garmin is expensive, limited, overpriced and difficult to use, clunky limited interface. Although my iPhone is to old.
On a recent trip to havasupi I needed to use SOS on my garmin. Someone in another group got really hurt and need evac. We were deep in the Grand Canyon and the base of beaver falls. Garmin took for ever to get a message out but my iPhone got the message out and allowed me to talk to SAR and give updates. I’ll always carrier both but iPhone for the win on this one.
From another review I saw it didn't work with an iPhone that didn't have the beta installed, they could receive the message but they couldn't reply so I think both users must have the a phone capable of the feature(currently only 14 and 15 with beta installed, soon the 16).
It’s high certainty versus very nice to have. If you are hiking far or alone and want to be near certain to be found, even if unconscious (happens in the heat/mountains), an inreach type of device with tracking enabled is a thing. In southern Europe with the extreme heat climate change, tourists litterally walk out from their hotel into surrounding nature for just a couple of hours, and die from heat without being found in time.
This functionality will kill my inReach subscription, that’s a fact. My annual fee hits next month and I won’t be paying the $35 to keep my device active. Garmin needs to revamp their pricing model if they want to stay competitive with Apple here.
That will be the arctic, not Antarctica, which is irrelevant to this conversation. Great video however. Fitting into the more occasional use case demographic, I’m keen to get the 16, (have a 13 now). Oh, should say that I like in Australia, so this feature won’t be of immediate use. Every summer I hike in Mongolia, so it won’t help there either. But overall it’s a great step forward for the average person to have access to emergency assistance.
Garmin is not magically more reliable than Apple or any other brand. Stuff happens. I have had a Garmin inReach Messenger fail less than 2 weeks into a 4-week off-grid trip. Hasn’t been dropped or abused, still looked perfectly new when I sent it back for a full refund after my trip. So much for Garmin infallibility!
I would say the likelihood of people turning their phone on and off while on trail is pretty slim. Majority of people aren't carrying professional cameras to take photos with, they are using the camera on their phones. And one of the benefits of having a camera on your phone is how quickly you can whip it out to snap a shot. If it's off, then people aren't going to be taking photos (and looking around on social media people love taking photos/videos). So you gotta hope you don't waste your battery before an emergency happens otherwise then you are in a pickle where you need your phone on and searching for signal (which uses more battery) to communicate with rescuers which depending on how far out you are or the type of terrain, could take hours or days. At this point I'd rather rely on my inreach to have battery for a few days than to rely on my phone making it through a cold night in the mountains (even off, I've had 20%+ battery reduction in cold temps overnight which is why I sleep with it in my sleeping bag now)
Why do I have to hope that I have battery? Anyone relying on this should have a battery bank with them. This is not a difficult problem to work around.
Honestly, the map response on the Suunto S is probably one of the fastest I've tested outside of an Apple or Galaxy watch! The 965 is a little more laggy but also offers a lot more map detail like text labels and routeable maps unlike the Suunto..
@@BobSanders33 'should' is the keyword there, doesn't mean people always carry a battery bank with them. I'm on the trail about 130 days per year, and most people that I backpack with don't rely on having a battery bank for an overnighter or a day trip. With the Inreach, I can track for 3 days and leave it on and still have battery leftover. If I only had it turned on for emergency situations, then the battery would last about a week. I don't use my phone for much on the trail so my battery lasts awhile, but when I am using maps then the battery drains much faster. Right now with where we are with technology, I'd rather rely on a device designed for emergency communication and use a separate device (my phone) for other things. Eventually the phones will have more reliable backcountry communication and better battery options and then the Inreach will become obsolete.
For communications and emergency situations, the Zoleo to me is still a great choice. The device is low cost, and when you’re not using it, you can suspend your plan for 4 bucks a month. Really can’t beat it.
Low cost but with a poor network and unreliable, might as well throw your money in the trash if you legitimately need this as a last-resort emergency device in the wilderness.
that’s not been my experience at all. I’ve used zoleo all over the USA and it works great. Same satellites as Garmin bud, iridium. Will be interested to see what develops with starlinks new service
Chase, I love your videos. However, you should know that thumbnails like that one make people not want to watch them. I'll admit I only clicked it to post this comment. I genuinely love your videos, but not that. Just FYI, you do whatever you like.
Get DeArrow. Best of both worlds. Dave can keep posting clickbaity thumbnails, which unfortunately do work. You can get a freezeframe from the video like in the pre-custom thumbnail days.
Gonna love the idiots streaming with loud volumes in the woods here in a few years ……. Already encountered people doing that if theres reg cell service cause they cant seem to enjoy the quit of the woods like everyone else around them does
Android 15 was rumored to offer satellite messaging 4 months ago so of course apple had to catch up and offer the same on iPhones. Android innovates. Apple copies.
InReach is sooooooooooo expensive. Says the guy with a phone that cost over $1000. I've broken too many phones to trust one with my life in the backcountry. But you do you.
Do your research. This video fails to compare the SAT networks and antenna/ signal strength to messengers and PLB’s. You’re not always guaranteed line of sight. Messengers and PLB’s are currently still superior IMO. Don’t easily be influenced. Be inspired. Do YOUR research
You could switch off your phone when you're off grid to safe battery but let's be honest almost nobody is doing that. Because the main function the phone retains even without signal is that its an excellent camera and people love to take photos and videos of their adventures.
Just so we're clear, Apple Watch is already the most popular watch in the world. They don't have to kill Garmin. They have much bigger goals than that.
Garmin watch user here. You sound like you're a product manager at Apple with some interesting insights into their future feature line-up (or a delusional Fanboy and I'm sure you're not that). Is one of Apple's plans to develop a watch which can last a full multi-day hike on a single charge like my Fenix can? Also, will it develop a training program for me on the fly like the Fenix does? Also, will it have the ability to perform on watch nav routing changes if I opt for a different waypoint like my Fenix does? Also, as an Android user, will the Apple Watch work seamlessly with my non-Apple phone?
And your completely off topic BS isn’t even true, a simple google search shows it’s the Rolex submariner. And let’s take a moment to think about just how moronic what you said was, most obviously watches were not even mentioned one time in this video, so are you just a bot (not necessarily literally although I would believe it) that scans for Garmin in a title and just spams Apple Watch propaganda?
Is funny , how awu suport satélite Messenger , when the battery is work 1 day , imagine this , in the wood alone with the awu message ,, low battery,,😂😂😂
I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail with no satellite communication device, and got an Inreach after. I carried it on the Benton Mackaye and the Pinhoti, and sold it when I got an Iphone 15, which to me is an acceptable substitute for it. It allows me to carry one less device, and worry about one less thing to keep charged.
Exactly my thoughts. If iphone acquires the ability to continue running some form of GPS off-road and beam that location live to another iphone via satellite, which current inreaches are capable of, that'll be the nail in the coffin. Deletes a whole host of wires and inreaches from my duffle.
I’m with you, I got what you were putting out after the first video. As much as I enjoy all your content, don’t feel like you need to make videos like this, ignore the haters and the ignorant folks.
My wife was just using the iphone sat sms while we were camping in the Smokies. It was a nice way to ask someone for some weather updates for that night and the following morning. She looked silly holding it up to the sky, but it worked pretty flawlessly with the tall tree cover. Receiving was a little annoying because you would have to keep checking and aligning with satellites to see if there is anything waiting to come through. The funny thing about this is that she had just bought me a Garmin GPSMAP 67i a week before the apple event to use on my trail runs and while I appreciated the thought, it was ultimately returned. The subscription fees for how often it would be used was way too high for something that can be replaced with an existing device, and i don't want to carry any more than i have to when trail running.
Really? I can't get it to work on my beta build. Must be only available for some select users.
Really? You are bargaining over safety, and possibly life or death?
As a recreational trail runner. I find myself sometimes in areas with no service. I have considered a garmin in reach just for emergency use. I bought iPhone 14 Pro for the satellite feature. I definitely see this feature as a value piece.
I love my InReach but the subscription fees are out of hand. I don’t know how Apple will be able to offer the service for less but I’m hoping it pressures Garmin to compete.
This IS AMAZING, I used the non urgent messaging via text with success and even received a silver alert while in Satellite mode.
Some people like Garmin and some people like Apple. It is good to have options. People that spend time bad mouthing one or the other are wasting their time. Get out there and have fun.
Here is another use case for Apple’s new feature. Not everyone is hiking or biking, when they are somewhere without cell service. I live in Indianapolis, IN. I the past year, I have been within 1 hour North, South, East, and West of the city and been without cell service. There may be times you need to get a message to someone, in those locations. You can’t call or text. In that situation, satellite texting could come in handy.
I am not going to subscribe to a garmin device for off chance that I might want to send a text in that scenario. But, it would be nice if the device I already have with me could allow me to send a message.
I would never trust a device which relies on a big fragile screen as my only emergency communication options.
I would get an InReach device in addition because they are rugged and aren’t going to run out of battery because some process decided to run wild.
I think satellite on a phone is a great added feature but it won’t replace anything for the people serious about staying in communication. It’s a great second device instead of carrying two InReach devices for redundancy.
Exactly. Break the screen and it's useless.
in reach saved my ass, during a snowmobiling trip in the middle of nowhere. Phone died, due to it being too cold to operate. Without the satellite tracking trail left on my in reach, I would have probably gotten lost in "Lost Trails, Montana"
apple not ready yet... they dont have enough satelites yet and it takes significant effort in some areas to get a signal.
Hold off for Elan's sat/cell phone.
I just used it several times during a 100 mile ultramarathon to contact my wife and it worked surprisingly well. Yes, you do need to stop and position the phone a certain way but in most cases I was able to send off a message within 2-3 minutes if I had a somewhat open view of the sky.
I saw your first CZcams on the Apple Satellite Messaging a moment ago. I didn't comment or read many comments. Then I saw this one. I have an IPhone 13 so Apple's satellite messaging doesn't apply to me but ..... then you mentioned T-Mobile. I have T-Mobile so when I go camping maybe I will have communication with my wife when cellular coverage is not available. You had a brilliant point about turning off the cell phone to conserve battery. I bought a cell phone for me. Not for anyone else, except my wife of course. So, if I turn it off and later turn it back on I am sure most of the messages, phone calls, and emails are going to be a very low priority. Turning on my phone in the evening to check for messages will not be a long delay for higher priority contacts. I am curious though if Find My Friend will work with T-Mobiles future satellite coverage. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I liked both videos and subscribed.
I think all these arguments are more reflective of their personal biases. I take my dirt bike out on the trails on state land. I was way out in the woods and stopped by a lake to take a rest. While sitting on the bank, I started thinking, what would I do if my bike went down. I didn’t have fire starting provisions but could use the bikes battery and spark plug and gas. No food, no water without a way to filter what was available. Far too little clothing. I started researching satellite sos devices. This was just before the IPhone 14 released with satellite features. I waited and got the IPhone 15 pro max. Tons of battery and an added layer of protection from the unexpected without adding another monthly subscription.
For those of us who don’t own a communicator this is great. If you but the garmin it the others you can still keep one or the other as a backup
On your first#1
Messaging over satellite not restricted to recreational use, of course. If you're in an emergency with an SOS device that has messaging feature, that feature will be used by responders to get info from you, to aid in rescue.
#3
Yes, a lot of people out there are just carrying phones, and not sos devices (too many). This is great for them. But they weren't using sos devices anyway, so sales aren't lost to them.
#3a you can unsubscribe and resubscribe from service plan with Garmin any time. So it's not 'every month', it's only for the time you wish to use it, say 3 months over summer. I only subscribe for around six months each year.
#6. You make the point that if you don't have cell coverage, just turn your phone off and you have unlimited battery life. Sorta, but not really . Your phone is also a GPS device. You know those hikers that are only carrying a phone? Most of them are using GPS nav on that phone, through apps like Guthook, Alltrails, Gaia, etc. It's the most common way to navigate. So they can't just turn the phone off. Only a tiny proportion of those not already using a sos device are navigating with watch based maps (or even paper based maps. So no, they can't just leave their phone off.
As you pointed out here, the title of the original was kinda click-bait. That's cool. But the responses were in part to that title, which is to be expected. With the current tech, it's not an InReach, or similar, killer. I'm sure it will hurt them in the long run, but not anytime soon. It's great for the people that currently don't use emergency device, but them using an iPhone in this way won't be taking sales away in any case.
I’m leaning towards the satellite features of Apple (Australia) but as I’m sick of paying for inreach month by month and not using I’ve cancelled that and as a back up to Apple got a PLB.
Calculating the cost savings I’m $1365 Aus ahead over 7 years ( pending the finish of the free period of Apple)
A good PLB is low cost and has no monthly fee. This + iPhone for non-emergency backcountry texting is a great combo imo. Edit to add: this would be a great feature add to the Ultra watch.
For sure, something like the ResQLink along with an iPhone would make a great combo!
Battery life of iPhones sucks big time, I don’t understand why people are willing to compromise on safety and if they do that the time will never come that they dearly regret that decision. An iPhone will never be a replacement for a dedicated device that might save your life
Yes, this is the combination I use.
I have (an Android &) a standard PLB. 10 year battery, solid connection, & no subscription.
This technology is finally what I consider true innovation for Apple. Also impressive to me is the 100 mile Ultra you’re going to run. Good luck!
Great presentation with lots of detail and not requiring me to watch other videos to get up to speed. Now that the iphone can access topographic maps battery management and charge replenishment become more complicated. For people not wanting to go old school with compass and paper maps more detail on dealing with the limited battery life of a phone might be interesting.
I would LOVE to be able to text via satellite on my phone. I like the idea of the InReach, but like you mentioned, it's not a practical thing for me to pay for. That said, there are times when I would appreciate the ability to message my wife (for example) "I'm safe", "Running late", "Just got to the trailhead", etc. I generally don't have an issue with my phone battery going dead during a long run or even a multi-day backpack trip (will bring a battery bank if needed too). Thanks for the great video!!!
I solo backpack, and having the ability to share my location is a comfort so I will stay with Garmin inReach, but I also have the iPhone 14 too, so there is redundancy!
Wise decision
In cell service I think you can share your location with trusted friends already in the iphone, I wonder if that too will come to satellite service in future years?
It does but, however Garmin has it set up wherein my family can check my position anytime on my Garmin map page. If I don’t check in, or they are concerned, then can report my position to emergency services or give the location.
Great video and clarification! Technology sure is going to get better with time.
That guy with the two broken arms, yea I can’t position my iPhone but good luck pulling your back pack off and grabbing the Garmin to activate SOS. lol
Visually seeing my location on a trail map on my phone is a great advantage, just download your trail map to the iPhone for off line use.
1. Device orientation: while not as critical as the need to point the iPhone for satellite communications, even the Garmin Mini prefers to keep its antenna pointed “up”.
2. Backup: for SOS purposes, a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), which never requires a subscription, would be the most cost-effective emergency backup to a satellite enabled phone.
Currently flying around the world. Garmin Inreach has been superior. I was able to try the SMS on the iPhone while in the US and it was great while it worked. I think that network will be nice in the future but right now Garmin is the way. It’s rugged and the battery lasts forever!
Does samsung have anything like this nifty
I’m very excited for this feature, especially as someone who has really limited funds I’m in a situation where I can’t afford a Garmin and for Apple to give this kind of security net and expand it to all messaging is a pretty incredible situation. I understand that there are lots of edge cases and emergencies where SOS is needed but as someone who goes outdoors I also believe that we all have a personal responsibility to triage medical situations, carry the ten essentials, and be able to react to bad situations. Ultimately there is not way to mitigate all risk and I am at peace with that while also being optimistic that my phone will do a great job at helping to call for help.
I’m sure there are people out there who would prefer to buy a Garmin device, pay a subscription, and carry those devices but I am glad that I am able to do all of that with only limited drawbacks.
I have the Garmin Inreach 2 and had to use it a few times on the AT for those that chose not to have a GPS device.
I need emergency text in the ocean, and only Iridium and Starlink has a coverage. So as much as I love my iPhone, I keep the InReach in my GoBag for sailing.
We’ll see what happens next year as Apple has invested in SpaceX to build out Glabalstars network! But for now iridium is certainly more coverage!
Years back I experienced a time while roaming through a rural area where I was denied cell phone usage with bars of signal. Cell service providers DO NOT have have the capacity to serve all their customers at the same time! Those companies can will and do prioritize their service to Gov and others if needed. Satellite communicators filled a needed nitch, especially in time of serious need emergency times for those equipped. Short of going HAM, or restricted pricey amateur radio route and or satellite phones and subscription way. Cell phones incorporating satellite capability has a potential of being a reality changer if they consider full service to all! I rely exclusively on my iPhone 14+ cellular device and would be devastated if I had no open means of contacting my loved ones in extreme times!
Most people with a cell and Inreach use the phone to view a map in which they are using to ensure they stay on trail.
I'll be keeping my InReach.. as cool as the feature will be on the iPhone.. and that its free.. the InReach is tried and true and works...
The live (or close to live) location is a good one for me; I spend lots of time in the mountains and could be in a situation where I'm unconscious or unable to access the device. Exciting time of innovation though :-) Thanks for the great content
If iphone can charge me something for data over satellite for camping days, with maybe a 2 day or 3 day plan, that would effectively kill all other options in one fell swoop.
PACE Plan... Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. My inReach isn't going anywhere anytime soon. inReach and can survive a drop alot better than a phone. plus battery life is 1000% better. Yes I have a iphone 15pro and and have used the sat message function, it worked. I wan to know long term is this going to be an upcharge???
Im looking at getting myself one of those Motorola Defy’s as a sort of InReach Light
Tracking coming soon too! Good value!
So, the iPhone satellite messaging is now active? Can’t wait to try it out!
@@paulalbert8096 it’s in public beta still but I’ve been testing it and have a real life test video coming up soon!
@@ChaseTheSummit thank you! I am downloading the public beta now to try it out!
I have been putting off giving a satellite communicator because I figured with the technology of the iPhone these days, they will likely go the route of my old GPS and become irrelevant. Crossing my fingers.
All i want is for Garmin to lower the prices on their plans. Hopefully with this new competition, that can happen.
Id also like to see further development with inreach. The platform hasn’t been updated in like 10 years and its isolated from Garmin Connect.
Question unrelated to the video. What is a good watch for tracking exercises that has heart rate monitoring? And one that doesn’t break the bank. It would be paired with an IPhone and Strava. Thanks.
Pace 3
I really like my Apple Watch Ultra even with the obvious battery life limitation but my friends are loving their Coros watches at the moment! There is not perfect watch so I’d just look at what is in budget and has the features that best match what you want out of it while also knowing your dealbreakers.
i have a Garmin Instinct 2, it does emergency message a preset number, but i do think it uses my phone to do it, not 100% sure
Correct, it requires your phone along with cell coverage. Won't work off grid unless you also have a Garmin InReach paired to your watch.
Best option for pretty much everyone:
Buy a personal locator beacon for the actual emergency. Zero subscription fee’s and guaranteed to work.
Use the phone for texts with friends and family that will be free and not under a plan or within a special app.
Best of both worlds.
I have a Satcom because I always said, "when they are less than $100/year with search and rescure insurance, I'll own one." So I now own one. Ironicaly, now that I own one, every single place I've gone that use to not have cell phone coverage does now. In fat Most have 5G coverage now, including one forrest that use to have no coverage at all. So I rarely take it out at all, but I do wear it on the water and on motorcycle so I can easily call for help if overboard or injured.
I wonder if SOS via Satellite and Messaging via Satellite will be bundled together, or if SOS would be free, but Messaging would cost. But there have also been speculations that Apple might just drop the pricing for SOS via Satellite. That would be nice too.
I wonder the same. I'm hoping SOS is free for everyone and messaging is a small fee.
I am one of those weekend warriors. We go on plenty of hikes but about 90% of them i have cell service most of the hike.
Garmin inreach battery life starts dropping rapidly when you start messaging I wonder how the iPhone will do?
Too long; didn't watch (i watched): there's options and that's awesome! Hopefully it'll encourage Garmin/Zoleo etc to make some upgrades. There's a market for all of it.
while hiking, I tend to stick the phone into aeroplane mode, and that gives my phone 4 days of battery, with regular photos en route. those radios are the biggest drain, especially if you're out of coverage and they're screaming their box off looking for a friend.
Reminds me of the time digital SLR cameras came to market. The film purists all said digital would never replace film. And so it is with Apple Satellite Messaging (or TMobile's Starlink Service) and the dedicated Garmin, Motorola, and Spot device fanboys. It's only a matter of time until those dedicated, single use devices are relics, not unlike the film SLR camera. Or the buggy whip. Book it.
That's an interesting analogy. I lived through that time and was a hardcore film shooter (in some ways still ove film!) but you're right. Very similar in how this technology will likely play out in the next 2-3 years.
Great and useful video, I hope Samsung copies this concept
Let them compete. Win for us.
Personally, due to “BATTERY CAPACITY”, inReach is not obsolete. I think I’ll use inReach for emergency and pay the lowest subscription. (Wish garmin lowers the fee) Then use iPhone for casual texts. T-mobile thing is just icing on the top. Garmin’s prob is “unlimited plan” is simply too expensive.
The real question is, will Apple integrate this new tech to “find my” feature and dramatically improve tracking function? (Currently a bit spotty)
Is Apple really going to offer this satellite service for free? I doubt it but if they do it will very likely only be for a quite limited time to get people hooked and then start demanding payment (which you cannot blame them for after they have invested millions in the project). If I felt I had a need for an SOS satellite devise because I spent prolonged periods in extremely remote areas I think I would get the Garmin and see the cost as an investment in my own safety. That said I think it is great that Apple has made it available on their newer phones but the cost of a new iPhone is way more than the Garmin device so I think they will still be selling the Garmin for years to come.
It’s not free to Apple to operate this, but I doubt overuse of the service will be a strong reason to charge. Or at least charge very much.
As a company who charges for every little thing, no doubt in my mind that Apple will charge a substantial amount in the near future to return their investment on these satellites, it would be naive to think otherwise
Apple Killer? Garmin Killer? It is getting ridiculous
You seem to not be acknowledging the main use cases - hunters, backcountry skiers and snowboarders, offroaders and overlanders, mountaineering, rock climbers, etc. If you're staying on frequently traveled hiking trails, then it won't be long until someone who can help comes along.
I agree with you Apple features are game changing, the Garmin is expensive, limited, overpriced and difficult to use, clunky limited interface. Although my iPhone is to old.
On a recent trip to havasupi I needed to use SOS on my garmin. Someone in another group got really hurt and need evac. We were deep in the Grand Canyon and the base of beaver falls. Garmin took for ever to get a message out but my iPhone got the message out and allowed me to talk to SAR and give updates. I’ll always carrier both but iPhone for the win on this one.
Does android have this capability and would it work between iPhone and android?
From another review I saw it didn't work with an iPhone that didn't have the beta installed, they could receive the message but they couldn't reply so I think both users must have the a phone capable of the feature(currently only 14 and 15 with beta installed, soon the 16).
It’s high certainty versus very nice to have. If you are hiking far or alone and want to be near certain to be found, even if unconscious (happens in the heat/mountains), an inreach type of device with tracking enabled is a thing.
In southern Europe with the extreme heat climate change, tourists litterally walk out from their hotel into surrounding nature for just a couple of hours, and die from heat without being found in time.
Yup, but again. Something > Nothing.
Garmin software versus Apple software🤔I think they need to poach some of the Apple guys to make Garmin look something like a 2024 product.
@@jeg569 for sure. InReach hasn’t been updated in like 10 years 😂
@@ChaseTheSummit and Garmin programmes like Basecamp and the recently messed up Connect app🙈
@@ChaseTheSummit subscribed👍
This functionality will kill my inReach subscription, that’s a fact. My annual fee hits next month and I won’t be paying the $35 to keep my device active.
Garmin needs to revamp their pricing model if they want to stay competitive with Apple here.
That will be the arctic, not Antarctica, which is irrelevant to this conversation. Great video however. Fitting into the more occasional use case demographic, I’m keen to get the 16, (have a 13 now). Oh, should say that I like in Australia, so this feature won’t be of immediate use. Every summer I hike in Mongolia, so it won’t help there either. But overall it’s a great step forward for the average person to have access to emergency assistance.
Also no coverage in the country of India so no dice for about 1.4+ billion people. So not quite global.
This is good news now garmin would have to make their subscription competitive because its so damn expensive.
You stated that this feature would be a garmin killer and it’s just not. That irritated many people, including myself.
Garmin is not magically more reliable than Apple or any other brand. Stuff happens. I have had a Garmin inReach Messenger fail less than 2 weeks into a 4-week off-grid trip. Hasn’t been dropped or abused, still looked perfectly new when I sent it back for a full refund after my trip. So much for Garmin infallibility!
I would say the likelihood of people turning their phone on and off while on trail is pretty slim. Majority of people aren't carrying professional cameras to take photos with, they are using the camera on their phones. And one of the benefits of having a camera on your phone is how quickly you can whip it out to snap a shot. If it's off, then people aren't going to be taking photos (and looking around on social media people love taking photos/videos).
So you gotta hope you don't waste your battery before an emergency happens otherwise then you are in a pickle where you need your phone on and searching for signal (which uses more battery) to communicate with rescuers which depending on how far out you are or the type of terrain, could take hours or days. At this point I'd rather rely on my inreach to have battery for a few days than to rely on my phone making it through a cold night in the mountains (even off, I've had 20%+ battery reduction in cold temps overnight which is why I sleep with it in my sleeping bag now)
Why do I have to hope that I have battery? Anyone relying on this should have a battery bank with them. This is not a difficult problem to work around.
Honestly, the map response on the Suunto S is probably one of the fastest I've tested outside of an Apple or Galaxy watch! The 965 is a little more laggy but also offers a lot more map detail like text labels and routeable maps unlike the Suunto..
@@BobSanders33 'should' is the keyword there, doesn't mean people always carry a battery bank with them. I'm on the trail about 130 days per year, and most people that I backpack with don't rely on having a battery bank for an overnighter or a day trip. With the Inreach, I can track for 3 days and leave it on and still have battery leftover. If I only had it turned on for emergency situations, then the battery would last about a week. I don't use my phone for much on the trail so my battery lasts awhile, but when I am using maps then the battery drains much faster. Right now with where we are with technology, I'd rather rely on a device designed for emergency communication and use a separate device (my phone) for other things. Eventually the phones will have more reliable backcountry communication and better battery options and then the Inreach will become obsolete.
For communications and emergency situations, the Zoleo to me is still a great choice. The device is low cost, and when you’re not using it, you can suspend your plan for 4 bucks a month. Really can’t beat it.
Low cost but with a poor network and unreliable, might as well throw your money in the trash if you legitimately need this as a last-resort emergency device in the wilderness.
that’s not been my experience at all. I’ve used zoleo all over the USA and it works great. Same satellites as Garmin bud, iridium. Will be interested to see what develops with starlinks new service
I’m amazed garmsn does not just make a app and get rid of there gps
Not sure I understand? How would an app communicate with satellites without some sort of hardware unit to send the signal?
Chase, I love your videos. However, you should know that thumbnails like that one make people not want to watch them. I'll admit I only clicked it to post this comment. I genuinely love your videos, but not that. Just FYI, you do whatever you like.
Thanks for the feedback. Though, youtube is telling me this video is performing well likely due to the thumbnail shrug 🤷♂️
Get DeArrow.
Best of both worlds. Dave can keep posting clickbaity thumbnails, which unfortunately do work. You can get a freezeframe from the video like in the pre-custom thumbnail days.
I'm watching😊
Gonna love the idiots streaming with loud volumes in the woods here in a few years ……. Already encountered people doing that if theres reg cell service cause they cant seem to enjoy the quit of the woods like everyone else around them does
Android 15 was rumored to offer satellite messaging 4 months ago so of course apple had to catch up and offer the same on iPhones. Android innovates. Apple copies.
InReach is sooooooooooo expensive. Says the guy with a phone that cost over $1000. I've broken too many phones to trust one with my life in the backcountry. But you do you.
Do your research. This video fails to compare the SAT networks and antenna/ signal strength to messengers and PLB’s. You’re not always guaranteed line of sight. Messengers and PLB’s are currently still superior IMO. Don’t easily be influenced. Be inspired. Do YOUR research
T-Mobile and Starlink will be better. In beta
4:35 "farther reaches in the northern part of Antarctica" you mean the Arctic
Sure
You could switch off your phone when you're off grid to safe battery but let's be honest almost nobody is doing that. Because the main function the phone retains even without signal is that its an excellent camera and people love to take photos and videos of their adventures.
LG?? Is LG even making smartphones anymore?
www.lg.com/levant_en/mobile-phones
The g7 thinq is a 2018 phone. Got me all excited for a moment as lg made excellent phones
Just so we're clear, Apple Watch is already the most popular watch in the world. They don't have to kill Garmin. They have much bigger goals than that.
Just so we're clear. This video isn't about watches lol.
Garmin watch user here. You sound like you're a product manager at Apple with some interesting insights into their future feature line-up (or a delusional Fanboy and I'm sure you're not that).
Is one of Apple's plans to develop a watch which can last a full multi-day hike on a single charge like my Fenix can? Also, will it develop a training program for me on the fly like the Fenix does? Also, will it have the ability to perform on watch nav routing changes if I opt for a different waypoint like my Fenix does? Also, as an Android user, will the Apple Watch work seamlessly with my non-Apple phone?
@@ChaseTheSummit😂😂
Garmin is number2.
And your completely off topic BS isn’t even true, a simple google search shows it’s the Rolex submariner. And let’s take a moment to think about just how moronic what you said was, most obviously watches were not even mentioned one time in this video, so are you just a bot (not necessarily literally although I would believe it) that scans for Garmin in a title and just spams Apple Watch propaganda?
Stop talking and go test out
@@genxiong2695 at the time of filming it wasn’t publicly available. Since then I’ve done lots of testing. Stay tuned.
Man all these reviews miss the point imo. I’ll go with the thing that lets ME know precisely where i am for the longest possible time.
You don’t need an InReach for that. Any device that does GPS tracking with good battery life is enough.
Eh... this feature isn't about letting you know your location. It's about communication when you're off the grid.
I have no intention of buying an iPhone, unless it comes with time travel.
Coming soon!
@@ChaseTheSummitI’m in! 😂
Is funny , how awu suport satélite Messenger , when the battery is work 1 day , imagine this , in the wood alone with the awu message ,, low battery,,😂😂😂
This is an iPhone video
The worst part of your first video was the stupid clickbait title…you are better than the average TikToker….aren’t you?
It’s the reality of doing this for a living. Why do you think that video has over 100,000 views? 🤷♂️
Came here for the clickbait and wasn't disappointed! 😄