RIP Garmin Inreach … iPhones to allow satellite messages in ios18

[brymoore]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Yes, but just for texting. This news was more "web surfing", email, and full user experience. None of the sat services can do that directly to any phone...yet.

I thought phone call use too.

 

[jvanhoy]

Garmin is everywhere. They are big in fishing electronics, running, biking, etc. Losing inreach sales won’t kill them. I still like my inreach and won’t be getting rid of it anytime soon.

Very true. I took a guy from work fishing this morning that is from MN. He had a 2500 dollar ice fishing live scope setup that was crazy.

 

[SAJ-99]

I thought phone call use too.

Just emergency or regular call too?

 

[brymoore]

Just emergency or regular call too?

I assumed it would work similar to a sat phone and allow regular phone calls.

 

[homers]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Yes, but just for texting. This news was more "web surfing", email, and full user experience. None of the sat services can do that directly to any phone...yet.

T-Mobile satellite supports more than just texting. Currently the following apps, with more being added.

• AccuWeather
• AllTrails
• Apple Compass
• Apple Fitness
• Apple Maps
• Apple Messages
• Apple Music
• Apple Weather
• CalTopo
• Google Maps
• Messenger
• Overwatch x Rescue SOS
• onX Backcountry
• onX Fish
• onX Hunt
• onX Offroad
• T-Life
• WhatsApp
• X
• Yahoo Mail

 

[SAJ-99]

T-Mobile satellite supports more than just texting. Currently the following apps, with more being added.

• AccuWeather
• AllTrails
• Apple Compass
• Apple Fitness
• Apple Maps
• Apple Messages
• Apple Music
• Apple Weather
• CalTopo
• Google Maps
• Messenger
• Overwatch x Rescue SOS
• onX Backcountry
• onX Fish
• onX Hunt
• onX Offroad
• T-Life
• WhatsApp
• X
• Yahoo Mail

Thanks. Pretty cool. I missed that announcement.

 

[802flyfish]

Finally got a chance to try the iPhone sat messaging last week. Not much to add from the others input on the application and service. I would need to be conscious of battery usage and only go to sat mode when I was going to use it. I would worry that passively staying in normal mode and letting it determine whether it should use LTE, Sat, etc might drain the battery. But that really isn't much different than using the inreach. Overall result is the header of the thread. Goodbye Garmin Inreach.

Apple doesn’t use the same Satellite network as Garmin. Apple relies on Globalstar, where Garmin uses iridium. iridium has 100% global coverage, where Globalstar does not.

I don’t know a single other guide that relies on an IPhone (Globalstar). We were guiding in a remote canyon in Montana and the iPhone couldn’t connect the entire time we were in the canyon. No sent or received messages, while the other two Garmin users were able to send and receive texts.

Apple sat services are targeted for the weekend warriors who aren’t going deep in the backcountry.

 

[Nunjagottam]

The good ol days when a guy could just wander aimlessly into the wilderness relying solely on his woodsman skills and gear choices, along with the acceptance that shortcomings in those areas may result in his remains being found by a trail crew next spring.

 

[SAJ-99]

Apple doesn’t use the same Satellite network as Garmin. Apple relies on Globalstar, where Garmin uses iridium. iridium has 100% global coverage, where Globalstar does not.

I don’t know a single other guide that relies on an IPhone (Globalstar). We were guiding in a remote canyon in Montana and the iPhone couldn’t connect the entire time we were in the canyon. No sent or received messages, while the other two Garmin users were able to send and receive texts.

Apple sat services are targeted for the weekend warriors who aren’t going deep in the backcountry.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have found that the GSAT sats are usually lower on the horizon than I expect and trees and canyons have been an impediment. That may have been your problem too. Honestly, I haven't used it as much as i would have liked over the last year+.

Also, the Government also uses Globestar.

I don't want this to become an Apple-bashing or Starlink-bashing thread. There is no point in that.

 

[WapitiBob]

Iphone sat messaging will be almost useless in a real emergency where the user is mostly incapacitated and unable to chase sattelites across the sky. Then there's a good chance the "next sattelite available in 13 minutes" pops on to the screen. I've seen that gem a cpl times. It works great when you're sitting on a stump eating a sandwich, mostly.

 

[cgasner1]

Hard to get rid of something that cost me 30 bucks to keep in my pack for the entire season that I can send a text with if my phone gets destroyed

 

[SAJ-99]

Iphone sat messaging will be almost useless in a real emergency where the user is mostly incapacitated and unable to chase sattelites across the sky. Then there's a good chance the "next sattelite available in 13 minutes" pops on to the screen. I've seen that gem a cpl times. It works great when you're sitting on a stump eating a sandwich, mostly.

I thought the same thing with the SPOT and Garmin and waiting for the lights to blink a certain way to confirm messages. With a good signal and communication is 60 seconds. With a weak signal and it would take long enough I stopped keeping track. But I guess in an emergency something is better than nothing.

I am interesting in how it improves. Apple could buy Iridium with the spare change it has in the lobby couch cushions. I'm just not sure the market is big enough to justify it. The TMobile info shared makes me wonder if the user has to pay up for the sat data plan? Tmobile likes to burn money on promos.

 

[El Jason]

I’ve used the iPhone sat messaging and an InReach. I agree with the above, the iPhone is fine for messaging buddies from the campfire. For an emergency, the InReach wins hands down.

 

[802flyfish]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have found that the GSAT sats are usually lower on the horizon than I expect and trees and canyons have been an impediment. That may have been your problem too. Honestly, I haven't used it as much as i would have liked over the last year+.

Also, the Government also uses Globestar.

I don't want this to become an Apple-bashing or Starlink-bashing thread. There is no point in that.

Not bashing, just stating the facts. I own an IPhone pro 17 & an Apple Watch 3 Ultra. Still bring my Garmin Inreach. Too many uneducated or misinformed consumers out there when it comes to satellite communication. Unfortunately, people don’t do their due diligence anymore. Iridium is used by the US Gov as well.

Globalstar uses a 52-degree inclined orbit, meaning coverage decreases at higher latitudes and requires a southern view in the Northern Hemisphere, which is obstructed by terrain. In contrast, Iridium uses a polar orbit, providing uniform coverage regardless of latitude.

 

[quarterhorse]

I thought the same thing with the SPOT and Garmin and waiting for the lights to blink a certain way to confirm messages. With a good signal and communication is 60 seconds. With a weak signal and it would take long enough I stopped keeping track. But I guess in an emergency something is better than nothing.

I am interesting in how it improves. Apple could buy Iridium with the spare change it has in the lobby couch cushions. I'm just not sure the market is big enough to justify it. The TMobile info shared makes me wonder if the user has to pay up for the sat data plan? Tmobile likes to burn money on promos.

T Satelite is free on the higher cost plans or a $10/mo add on for the less expensive plans.

 

[winmag]

I was just in New Zealand I and couldn’t get my satellite texting to work no matter what I tried. The demo would work, but it wouldn’t allow me to send or receive. I never figured out the issue. Maybe because AT&T partners with a NZ carrier, and that carrier didn’t support satellite texting? Either way, I was glad I activated my Garmin and brought it along. The Garmin worked like usual.

 

[kansasdad]

Garmin is everywhere. They are big in fishing electronics, running, biking, etc. Losing inreach sales won’t kill them. I still like my inreach and won’t be getting rid of it anytime soon.

Garmin “Autoland” used in a real world situation for the first time in an aircraft flying out of Aspen, landing in Broomfield by auto pilot.

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[SAJ-99]

Not bashing, just stating the facts. I own an IPhone pro 17 & an Apple Watch 3 Ultra. Still bring my Garmin Inreach. Too many uneducated or misinformed consumers out there when it comes to satellite communication. Unfortunately, people don’t do their due diligence anymore. Iridium is used by the US Gov as well.

Globalstar uses a 52-degree inclined orbit, meaning coverage decreases at higher latitudes and requires a southern view in the Northern Hemisphere, which is obstructed by terrain. In contrast, Iridium uses a polar orbit, providing uniform coverage regardless of latitude.

That is good info. Hard for a normal retail user to do due diligence on these products… Inclination planes and orbits, GSAT vs iridium vs Iridium Next, L-band versus S-band. It’s all Greek to me.

My main question is why would Amazon look to buy GSAT if it is inferior? Same question I had when Apple bought 20% of the company. I assume they have people that know a lot more than me. Clearly it’s not currently the quality of the product provided. Apple and others are mostly offering SOS messaging free so it’s not economic. And like I said, im not sure the market (backcountry enthusiasts) is large enough to matter, but Apple is still probably throwing a $1b+ annually toward Globestar. Amazon wanting a piece of the pie just makes me wonder where they going.

Picture of the earth with sats. Always Wows me. Track your favorite sat group at link. The internet is amazing

Starlink satellite tracker

Live view of SpaceX starlink satellite constellation and coverage.

satellitemap.space

 

[npaden]

I'm in the camp that says that Globalstar is inferior to Iridium. Pretty much always has been.

I'm curious on people's experience with the T Mobile setup where they are using Starlink instead of either. The globalstar deal is with AT&T - not Apple. T Mobile is using Starlink with Apple and I would think it would be a superior option as there are about 4,000 more Starlink satellites than Globalstar and Irridium combined.