I live in Weaverville, NC and had to evacuate a few days ago due to the damage from the hurricane. I didn't have cell service, water, or power for days, and I suddenly remembered that my iPhone 15 Pro could text via sat connection so my wife and I went outside and sent texts to our family and friends to let them know we were okay and heading out soon. Worked perfectly and I'm so thankful that feature exists. iPhone FTW!
@@Here2Enjoy-b8zthe difference is that apple has made it much better + it has been around for 2-2,5 years. Not something new for other companies to introduce
Every RF engineer has their eyes glued to your hands and yelling at the screen “HOLD STILL DAMMIT”, and you said “little bit of a glitch there” nah no way, it’s all you
My wife used satellite texting recently while on a 4 day river trip in Moab. It worked flawlessly for casual updates on our toddler and reminding me to water the house plants. For ultras and ski touring I’ll keep my inreach but this is pretty damn awesome (and prevented my wife from stealing the raft guides Sat phone to ask if our son pooped).
I'm in Canada, and can confirm the satellite messaging feature works here as well. Used it for a week in Northern Ontario while on a Hunting trip a couple weeks ago.
@ i would, it works really well. you need to intentionally connect to the satellite every time you want to send/receive messages, which is the only draw back. But its not a deal breaker for me. works best when outside and stationary.
@@reidbooe6771Not every watch model supports it but the higher-end ones definitely do, they can pair directly and give you the same messaging features that you'd get over texting with "canned" quick reply messages or full message support depending on the model. In addition, he mentioned weather updates over the inReach system, and a direct-paired watch can also pull updated forecasts from that, if I remember correctly.
@@reidbooe6771 Yes you can… it’s a little tough but you can type using a dial or T9. Presets are the easiest which can be preloaded and sent from the watch.
@@reidbooe6771 I don’t know where my comment went but… yes you can. You can use a dial or T9 to type. You don’t need your phone at all. However the Messenger makes it much easier. Presets are the easiest to preload and use.
The difference in performance is as expected. Iridium's satellites are more modern and numerous than Globalstar, giving the Garmin device an immediate advantage. However, the biggest factor is the device antenna. The Garmin device is using an electronically steerable antenna that is specifically designed for the frequencies that Iridium operates on. It can aim a beam and follow the satellite as it moves across the sky, and then aim a beam at a new satellite that has come into view and follow it. It is more efficient and provides higher gain, allowing for a much better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In contrast, the iPhone is using its existing antennas that are designed to operate with terrestrial cellular networks where station antennas are thousands of feet away rather than hundreds of miles in orbit. I think it's incredibly impressive that they are able to offer satellite connectivity at all without a specialized antenna. Getting out from under the tree canopy should help out immensely as the iPhone's cellular antennas would already struggle to maintain a sufficient SNR with a satellite even under ideal conditions. It could be interesting to see a company introduce a case for the iPhone with a built-in antenna specialized for communications with the Globalstar constellation, although the business case for that type of product is probably poor.
During hurricane Berly in south east Texas my iPhone 15 pro max showed the satellite 📡 image but my text messages kept failing. I had no way to communicate for over 8 days. So I’m thinking I need to find a device with the specialized antenna
During hurricane Berly in south east Texas my iPhone 15 pro max showed the satellite 📡 image but my text messages kept failing. I had no way to communicate for over 8 days. So I’m thinking I need to find a device with the specialized antenna
Probably removed the sim card. The phone number does retain on the phone and similar to apple id. Would disable the cell connection but wifi is simple enough to just forget all the lines
Just bought shirts and hat and stickers, excited! You have helped me make decisions on watches and other needed products, so appreciate your channel and the support it has provided, glad to give back and support the cause. You came back from climbing La Plata in CO - my 8th and a G dad (64) - knocking 'em down while I can. When summiting a 14er you meet the neatest folks from all over (I'm a lowlander in GA) and we almost always talk about who we watch on YT that helps us figure stuff out. That said, your name comes up fairly often, so keep up the good work! Beats talking about what show I don't (ever) watch on TV- 'cept college football - GO Dawgs!
Probably just disabled 5G and LTE and forced it to 2G/3G. He is in US and US has been cutting the 2G/3G service so the device just doesn't get any signal when it's forced to use those.
As a hiker, i prefer redundancy. i still will likely keep my Garmin. My garmin was never redundant, so if it failed, im screwed as far as comms go. now ill have both options. another important note, the Garmin uses a different network of satellites (Iridium) and the iphone uses globalstar. im sure Globalstar will likely improve but its historically been the worst performing one in my experience
I’ve have had a Garmin InReach for 5 years and it has worked well. However, they are not instantaneous about a third of the time. The weather update is very helpful. During the 5 years Garmin has been increasing pricing. I live out west and cell service keeps getting better, so I guess you can either way.
Great video!!! I use a Spot X my brother uses a In-Reach. The phone works the same as the Spot X in response time and aiming at a satellite. I think its the same satellite system as the Spot X. The In-Reach uses a different satellite system I believe? In-Reach is a much better system. Looking forward to seeing if Apple does improve the system.
Good to see the iPhone actually sending a text over Satellite 👍🏻 For me it’s almost a reason to buy an iPhone that does this. When out ‘in the wild’ I have a PLB for proper emergency use (never had to use it yet). My current iPhone works ‘some of the time’ but not ‘all the time’. For ‘leisure comms’ the iPhone with Satellite could plug a small gap when we have no phone signal. Not so much for day trips, it’s nice to get away and have no coms from time to time. But for multiple-day expedition no phone signal means we can be mildly inconvenienced, mostly we can’t get up-to-date weather forecasts, etc. With this, our ‘weather watching person’ back home could text us compact daily weather forecasts which could help. As an aside… this is a recent issue, we used to be able to get reliable weather forecast (inshore shipping) from the Long-Wave Radio 4 broadcast by the BBC here in the UK. The long-wave transmitters are now silent 🥲
Global Star is scheduled to launch more advanced satellites in 2025 via partnership with Apple. I believe satellite messaging capabilities will be incredibly awesome…
Didn't even started playing the video, but, just so you understand, it's a device made just and in exclusive for geolocation via satelite vs an iPhone that has a similar function.
Thanks for the great video. We were in the path of Hurricane Helene and didn’t have WiFi and very poor cell service for a time. I was wondering how the sat service would work and found your video after things got back up and running. I know it was in beta when you made your video but seems to be very close to the way it rolled out.
The issue with the InReach is the subscription cost. An iPhone I already have, and pair it with a PLB, and I'm golden if I get in a pinch. Set off PLB, send message via iPhone about location or issue, wait for rescue.
@@nilsalb Not really. I used to run dive trips to very remote areas. I can tell you that while not huge, there is still a substantial market for exactly that scenario.
If SpaceX Starlink follows through with their promise to offer free SOS services to cell providers anywhere (the way I understand it) then I'll stick with my cellphone and ditch the Garmin. Until that happens, I'll get the cheaper essential service Garmin just put out and wait. Thanks for testing the two, good video!
I think that there is room for both types of system on the market but cell phone satellite links will become better. What I hope is that Garmin and others reduce the cost of a monthly subscription to first keep their market share and as more satellite services are being launched, the available bandwidth should make it relatively cheap to get satellite capacity and easier for competing messaging services to pop up and this should be reflected in their subscription.
The Google Pixel 9 uses Garmin's SOS services and it's also free for at least two years. Most people don't need these devices more than a few times per year. I think once these phone apps start maturing the market for standalone devices will collapse. Nobody wants to deal with monthly subscriptions and activation fees. They only put up with it because there aren't any other options.
My guess on the “2 years free satellite messaging” is they’re going to use that to get you to upgrade your iPhone every 2 years. More and more people are going longer with their iPhones as upgrades each year are slowing down and hardly worth upgrading for.
Just a heads up, Apple said they redesigned some of the iMessage protocol to be ultra efficient in order to send better on satellite so it probably is actually better than SMS
Thank you for your review. Do fenix 8 or any latest garmin watches have satellite messages built in them? Or you still need a standalone device with subscription?
If you just want a device that allows you to contact somebody in case you car gets a defect or something like that, the iphone can be perfect, you can walk to a point with connection if needed. If you are more of an adventurer the iphone can only give a false sense of safety, you should go for an inreach or similar. The video also shows you just can't rely enough on the iphone to get a connection if needed (even if that just means keeping family updated).
My Iridium 9575, which is a dedicated sat phone doesn’t work well under tree cover or from inside a car. In order for a sat phone to work, you need a clear unobstructed view of the sky. I suspect the iPhone would have worked better if you weren’t under a tree canopy.
One thing I wonder is if this will create problems for airlines. Airplane mode was made during an era where the longer wavelengths of cellphones at the time “could” interfere with instruments. If half the people on a plane have a GPS that can transmit data on a similar frequency as the aircraft instruments, will there be problems? They’re also eventually adding StarLink to iPhones AND every United Airlines aircraft. There’s going to be a lot of signals in the cabin in the near future.
“GPS” at the end user is receive only. So our phones “GPS” does not transmit. Albeit, many other transmissions are pouring from our cell phones constantly. There are all sorts of “signals” everywhere you go now. Noise rejection in avionics and other important instrumentation has become more advanced.
@@afdccesd470 I’m talking about the text to satellite feature. I’m not sure what frequency it’s using. FCC wouldn’t allow it to be the same as GPS, but it’s close to it, there’s the possibility of interference. I’m guessing it’s either using a licensed carrier frequency band, or a free public low power frequency band. Normally not a problem, because your phone doesn’t send if it’s not receiving. But with satellite connectivity, especially SpaceX StarLink, I’m curious if there could be some minor issues or observations.
I think you kinda screwed the Apple test when you tried to send the text before turning on the Satellite connection. It was hung up until it failed and then tried again. Happens to me all the time on a less than ideal regular cell connection.
Thanks for this video. Definitely InReach is more reliable. I’ve had it for years and gives me great peace of mind during my hikes. I love my InReach explorer.
I have the same question and he did reply back to his satellite iPhone from his cellular iPhone and it appeared he had to turn towards a satellite, but I would be curious if when that happens you get a text or an alert telling you to point it to a satellite, but not sure how that would work if you aren’t connected.
Keep in mind you get 2 years or more free when getting a new iPhone which is 24 months. If you own a garmin and pay 12 dollars a month that would have been 288 usd 😅 can’t complain there.
I think it will work the same way as cellular connection. In a way that you can type in the messages first and let the phone do the work of sending the messages as it gets the reception as you move. I did this often in the deep forest with very spotty reception. I knew i got a window of good connection when all the incoming replied messages suddenly chimed in. All my typed messages did go through as I was hiking. In short, I don’t have to babysit them or hold still to make sure they go through. So I think the same is applied to satellite connections. The only caveat is I always have to write the time (sometimes coordinate when writing those messages), so the recipient knows that these messages are not real time. Anyway, I have not tested sending ‘current location’, so.. that’s for next time I hike.
Indeed. Except I can't test SOS without triggering an emergency response lol. Once pixel can do standard messaging over Satellite I'll have a follow up video!
@@ChaseTheSummit I saw another RUclipsr do it, there's a demo just like the iPhone. The Pixel performed a little better than the iPhone and it was suspected that was due to utilizing geostationary satellites.
I live in a very remote area near Alaska. Firstly global star satellites are garbage. Iridium satellites which garmin uses has very good coverage and fairly quick at sending and receiving messages. Could you imagine if you had an emergency and had to use an apple iPhone to find a satellite with a broken leg? I love my inreach and wouldn’t leave without it.
I’d like to know too. There are times when I’m in the woods and have a signal too weak to do anything but the phone still thinks I’m connected so I can’t get to the satellite function.
@@du3223 Yeah, I was wondering the same thing... I wouldn't be surprised if Apple and Google failed to think of the real world situation whereby the phone is 'technically' connected to a distant tower but absolutely cannot get a call or SMS out...
Here's a realistic test: try to use your iphone in pouring rain outdoors, or even light rain: It simply doesn't work, you can't use the touchscreen! Also Garmin provides tracking included with most of their plans, and the inReach battery will last a week, not 24 hours like an iPhone. You also can't break and inreach by dropping it on a rock, unlike an iphone screen. Don't chance your life, it's cheap insurance!
if you are just using iPhone off grid for messages here and there then the battery will last like 5 days easily. or 2 days if you are using it tons and have the screen on for 4-5 hours a day. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ you can also just use dictation and voice to type and navigate the phone in the rain. real easy solutions to your "test" and took 5 seconds to think of these solutions.
Recent versions of qualcomm chips chips for Android phones have 'sat' capability built in. Is it just an Android release away before we see that happening?
I know you said that this does not cover the emergency call but I wonder if the Apple service will also send a call to emergency services using satellite if a fall has been detected or only if the call is done manually. BTW, I'm always worried that I will activate an emergency call using fall detection as there have been MANY falls detected that were nothing but banging on something while working. Apple needs to significantly improve the fall detection algorithm to reduce false alarms. I know I can disable the feature but it may come in handy at some point. I just don't want to see helicopters circling my location in the wilderness because I did not realize that my watch detected a fall.
@@ChaseTheSummit this is a good or bad thing however fall /crash detection notifications could have been implemented to be sent as a text to 911 or dispatch centre like Garmin. As it happened several times with skiers , false alarms have happened.
Can you send a message via Apple Satellite to another Apple connected to satellite. Say both of you are out hiking and are hiking at a different pace and want to check that the other person is ok or to confirm where you’re meeting that evening etc. So both out of cell coverage and no WiFi etc. can you communicate with each other just with your iPhones via satellite…..?
You won’t. I think the idea is just to “check in” from time to time. For example if you’re setting up camp you could catch up on the messages of the day.
I like how 10 minutes in you said "right now I'm standing still", the amount of hand talking and swaying back and forth throughout was giving me anxiety to watch. Bro you weren't still for a single second of this video hahaha. Good video and information, little less coffee next time though haha (just teasing you, said with love)
Can the satellite connection be used to show me an accurate map on my Iphone? I currently have a Garmin Montanna 700I, which I use as a GPS but also have In reach in case of emergency. If this works well, i might be leaving that behind while on my hikes.
The satellite connection isn't required for offline maps. You can simply download maps using Apple Maps or a third party app like GaiaGPS. Your phones GPS capabilities have nothing to do with having a cell signal so offline mapping has always worked. This new feature is only used to send/receive messages.
You need to actively maintain the connection in order to receive messages. If the phone is in your pocket it won't receive messages until you hold it up to the sky again.
to reiterate the issue, i have done a baja california trip had no signal, and have been sending safety message thro the inreach the whole trip three times a day. guess what iphone says. “area not supported” there you go. 🎉
Any idea if Apple will offer emergency air evacuation/transportation insurance the way Garmin does? I wouldn’t want to rely on Apple if I’m not going to be insured for an emergency evacuation.
Hopefully it comes to pixel and all android phones soon! Lots of stories of people getting lost in the CO mtns without reception. One I think just the other day, but luckily they got reception after a day of being lost in the mtns.
Garmin's subscription pricing is outrageous-charging $36 USD per month for just 40 SMS messages (160 characters each). That works out to an eye-watering $0.90 per message. When you break down the actual data costs, the markup is staggering. For context, many satellite providers charge around $0.005 per kilobyte for excess data, or about $5.12 per megabyte for commercial partners/resellers. A 160-character SMS uses roughly 0.137 KB, so the cost to send one message is just $0.000685 USD. In total, sending 40 messages would cost Garmin around 2.7 cents-even at premium rates from satellite companies like Iridium, Inmarsat, and Globalstar. Garmin does have an unlimited SMS "Expedition" plan, but you'd need to send over 96,000 messages for their wholesale data cost to match the $66 USD they charge you. This $36 fee represents a more than 131,000% markup-an extreme overpricing of satellite SMS compared to actual data costs. It’s similar to the early days of telecom companies charging $20 per megabyte for international data roaming, only for leaked documents to reveal they were paying a nanoscopic fraction of that cost. Today, companies like Vodafone charge just $3 USD per day for gigabytes of international data per week of roaming, which is a 99.98% reduction in roaming fees almost overnight after being caught red-handed price gouging on international data roaming. Long story short - Garmin are only marking up the price by over 130,000 percent because they've been one of the only players in the game for many years... They must be absolutely shitting themselves at the fact Apple and Google are stepping on their turf with satellite SMS services.
I don't see the Apple satellite system catching up to the Garmin system for at least 10 years. And you hit it on the head these two systems are for different people. Pretty cool to see how these two work side by side though.
I carry a ResQlink. Trees or anything else won't stop the signal. In reach and apple will or could fail on you for a sos. Beware. When I get hurt or lost bad if that happens I want a guaranteed communication. Both those won't or might fail. They've know to fail often.
Amen ! I don’t see why people just don’t get an inreach mini . It works any where in world on the most reliable net work of iridium . Once it’s set up then safety plan is like 15$ a month . I have two of them , inreach mini and 66i and pay for both each month on safety plan
Just pay for safety plan ! And use the messages as needed or the unlimited plan if you know you will use your inreach a lot . And for money 💰 …. Just learn to make make more . Invest into dividend paying stocks. And option ETFs like yield max . Some of yall are cheap A$$ MF. I pay for two inreaches on safety plan
@@ChaseTheSummit the way I interpret Garmin’s pricing is that the “Enabled” plan doesn’t include any free messages but all messages under that plan are $0.50 each (counted as overage).
do you think the iPhone would better for people where time isnt a factor? it sure would save a monthly payment that i have now with my zoleo. but i actually don't use it a lot. but i like it when i do need it. for when im in the outback with my motorcycle try8ing to text the wife at night and random water breaks throughout the day.
This is going to look like ancient history in a year or two as SpaceX deploys their satellite direct to 5G network. It’s already in testing phase and would allow any phone to text via satellite- any Android and any iPhone. Initially things going to be for TMobile only but it’s expected to open to other network customers once TMo exclusivity ends. Also, even during that period it’s will be available for anyone in an emergency situation. It’s actually in limited availability during Helene and Milton hurricanes with better coverage as SpaceX deploys more satellites with the 5G capabilitt
I’m confused, any time I’ve tried this by turning off all radios it won’t do anything, I thought it’s because it can still see that there is a tower in the area, but I see from the other phone on LTE that you are in range of a tower… How do I get my phone to give me the option to connect to satellite to test this out while still in range of a tower?
It got very complicated. You can’t simply just turn off cell/wifi. They need to be on but not in range of a connection. I basically had to add an active eSIM and then cancel the service from the carrier. That way the eSIM was still in the phone but there was no plan associated with it.
@@ChaseTheSummit you should of said that in vid or explained in comments. This is the thing we want to do. We need to test this and practice with loved ones about to be hit by hurricane.
@@ChaseTheSummit if I do not have a signal and I get a text from Home will I be able to receive that through satellite? Will it show up that I have a message so that I should then try the satellite or will I only know if I turn on satellite?
Agree that they are for different people. If you plan on needing remote communications, then you need a Garmin. If you don't have a need for it, then having the Apple service for emergencies is just fine. (And don't forget that the Garmin devices have about a week worth of battery, while the phone might get you only for a day.)
I get 5+ days out of my phone pretty easily when I'm in the wilderness because when there's no service I'm basically only using it for pictures. Put it in airplane mode and use battery saver.
Yeah probably should have timed it. I edited it because watching me wait was pretty boring lol. In reality the Apple message sent in roughly 3-4 minutes. But the response message from the other iphone was nearly instant... you can see that in the video as it's unedited because it happened so quickly. InReach is quicker. Probably 20-30 seconds max for a message unless you're moving or in challenging conditions. I've had situations where my InReach message didn't send for 15 minutes because I was actively moving/running. Reality is that Satellite messaging isn't perfect. It takes time no matter how you slice it. Hope that helps!
Awesome review bro.awesome sat com capabilities from Iphone. However I’ve got InReach Mini 1.great device wich gives me peace of mind when I’m out sailing, trail running, hiking….even with the basic sat plan. rugged, waterproof, baddass looking but the Garmin Earthmate app isn’t as sleek as Apple software.looks actually like a joke, like using windows XP in 2024. The messenger app with Mini 2 looks way better. 🌿hi from New Zealand
Agreed. I get frustrated every time I need to change a setting or try to set up a live track with InReach. Like, why doesn't it tie into Garmin Connect with some sleek interface?! My watch and InReach act like they're from two different companies.
It's really difficult lol. I basically had to activate a new carrier service plan... add the E-Sim to the iPhone and then cancel the service. You can't just remove the E-Sim, or turn of cellular, or wifi. Everything needs to be enabled just outside of cell tower or wifi range.
@@ChaseTheSummit Dang. I'll get to test it next month while out camping. I think for this specific situation it will be useful as most state parks are out of range of signal, so I'll still be able to get messages/send messages when needed. Thanks for the response!
I live in Weaverville, NC and had to evacuate a few days ago due to the damage from the hurricane. I didn't have cell service, water, or power for days, and I suddenly remembered that my iPhone 15 Pro could text via sat connection so my wife and I went outside and sent texts to our family and friends to let them know we were okay and heading out soon. Worked perfectly and I'm so thankful that feature exists. iPhone FTW!
Great use case! I hope your family is ok!
Ty. I may suck it up and get my first iPhone because of this.
I am done with Garmin
@@thewandererIRLim an iphone user, just saying my pixel 9 pro xl have this feature as well.
Just saying.
@@Here2Enjoy-b8zthe difference is that apple has made it much better + it has been around for 2-2,5 years. Not something new for other companies to introduce
@@Here2Enjoy-b8z does it work (pixel 9 pro), I don't own a phone.
Every RF engineer has their eyes glued to your hands and yelling at the screen “HOLD STILL DAMMIT”, and you said “little bit of a glitch there” nah no way, it’s all you
Yeah like you have to aim the thing, not wave it around. It also messes with the aim, confusing the gyroscope
My wife used satellite texting recently while on a 4 day river trip in Moab. It worked flawlessly for casual updates on our toddler and reminding me to water the house plants. For ultras and ski touring I’ll keep my inreach but this is pretty damn awesome (and prevented my wife from stealing the raft guides Sat phone to ask if our son pooped).
Perfect use case!
I'm in Canada, and can confirm the satellite messaging feature works here as well. Used it for a week in Northern Ontario while on a Hunting trip a couple weeks ago.
what phone do you use?
@ i use an iphone 14. Works on the 14 or 15. Doesnt work on older models
@@tomthebomb45 Thanks for that. I think I will cancel my Spot X and just upgrade my iPhone.
@ i would, it works really well. you need to intentionally connect to the satellite every time you want to send/receive messages, which is the only draw back. But its not a deal breaker for me. works best when outside and stationary.
@@tomthebomb45 Sounds just like the Spot X. I think I will try it.
I love my inreach mini 2 in conjunction with my FR955. It’s a pretty seamless and straight forward experience.
Can you use the mini to directly message from your watch?
@@reidbooe6771Not every watch model supports it but the higher-end ones definitely do, they can pair directly and give you the same messaging features that you'd get over texting with "canned" quick reply messages or full message support depending on the model. In addition, he mentioned weather updates over the inReach system, and a direct-paired watch can also pull updated forecasts from that, if I remember correctly.
@@reidbooe6771Yes!
@@reidbooe6771 Yes you can… it’s a little tough but you can type using a dial or T9.
Presets are the easiest which can be preloaded and sent from the watch.
@@reidbooe6771 I don’t know where my comment went but… yes you can. You can use a dial or T9 to type. You don’t need your phone at all. However the Messenger makes it much easier. Presets are the easiest to preload and use.
great addition to safety and i won’t give up the garmin, redundancy is key when needed. i am glad.
The difference in performance is as expected. Iridium's satellites are more modern and numerous than Globalstar, giving the Garmin device an immediate advantage. However, the biggest factor is the device antenna. The Garmin device is using an electronically steerable antenna that is specifically designed for the frequencies that Iridium operates on. It can aim a beam and follow the satellite as it moves across the sky, and then aim a beam at a new satellite that has come into view and follow it. It is more efficient and provides higher gain, allowing for a much better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In contrast, the iPhone is using its existing antennas that are designed to operate with terrestrial cellular networks where station antennas are thousands of feet away rather than hundreds of miles in orbit. I think it's incredibly impressive that they are able to offer satellite connectivity at all without a specialized antenna. Getting out from under the tree canopy should help out immensely as the iPhone's cellular antennas would already struggle to maintain a sufficient SNR with a satellite even under ideal conditions. It could be interesting to see a company introduce a case for the iPhone with a built-in antenna specialized for communications with the Globalstar constellation, although the business case for that type of product is probably poor.
Wow
During hurricane Berly in south east Texas my iPhone 15 pro max showed the satellite 📡 image but my text messages kept failing. I had no way to communicate for over 8 days. So I’m thinking I need to find a device with the specialized antenna
During hurricane Berly in south east Texas my iPhone 15 pro max showed the satellite 📡 image but my text messages kept failing. I had no way to communicate for over 8 days. So I’m thinking I need to find a device with the specialized antenna
How do you trick the one phone into getting into satellite mode?
My question as well, I’ve tried everything!
Same here
Probably removed the sim card. The phone number does retain on the phone and similar to apple id. Would disable the cell connection but wifi is simple enough to just forget all the lines
@@LilSaint001100 What SIM card? It's an iPhone 16 in the USA.
@@LilSaint001100 American iPhones don't use a removable SIM card they use an eSIM
Just bought shirts and hat and stickers, excited! You have helped me make decisions on watches and other needed products, so appreciate your channel and the support it has provided, glad to give back and support the cause. You came back from climbing La Plata in CO - my 8th and a G dad (64) - knocking 'em down while I can. When summiting a 14er you meet the neatest folks from all over (I'm a lowlander in GA) and we almost always talk about who we watch on YT that helps us figure stuff out. That said, your name comes up fairly often, so keep up the good work! Beats talking about what show I don't (ever) watch on TV- 'cept college football - GO Dawgs!
Thank you!
I would say this is your best video ever. Congrats!
Thank you. I was curious. Most helpful
New to your channel.But very much enjoyed.Congrats on your runs,Stay safe so you never have to use sos.💯✌️
I love my Inreach with my Fenix ❤
How did you trick your phone to thinking you have no service?
Probably just disabled 5G and LTE and forced it to 2G/3G.
He is in US and US has been cutting the 2G/3G service so the device just doesn't get any signal when it's forced to use those.
I live in Australia and my iPhone 14 Pro has had the emergency satellite service for about a year now looking forward to the SMS service
As a hiker, i prefer redundancy. i still will likely keep my Garmin. My garmin was never redundant, so if it failed, im screwed as far as comms go. now ill have both options. another important note, the Garmin uses a different network of satellites (Iridium) and the iphone uses globalstar. im sure Globalstar will likely improve but its historically been the worst performing one in my experience
Great vid!!! But keep your Inreach
I’ve have had a Garmin InReach for 5 years and it has worked well. However, they are not instantaneous about a third of the time. The weather update is very helpful. During the 5 years Garmin has been increasing pricing. I live out west and cell service keeps getting better, so I guess you can either way.
It’s a cool feature to get for free, though I don’t do nearly as much proper outdoors stuff as I used to.
Great video!!! I use a Spot X my brother uses a In-Reach. The phone works the same as the Spot X in response time and aiming at a satellite. I think its the same satellite system as the Spot X. The In-Reach uses a different satellite system I believe? In-Reach is a much better system. Looking forward to seeing if Apple does improve the system.
Good to see the iPhone actually sending a text over Satellite 👍🏻
For me it’s almost a reason to buy an iPhone that does this. When out ‘in the wild’ I have a PLB for proper emergency use (never had to use it yet). My current iPhone works ‘some of the time’ but not ‘all the time’.
For ‘leisure comms’ the iPhone with Satellite could plug a small gap when we have no phone signal. Not so much for day trips, it’s nice to get away and have no coms from time to time. But for multiple-day expedition no phone signal means we can be mildly inconvenienced, mostly we can’t get up-to-date weather forecasts, etc. With this, our ‘weather watching person’ back home could text us compact daily weather forecasts which could help.
As an aside… this is a recent issue, we used to be able to get reliable weather forecast (inshore shipping) from the Long-Wave Radio 4 broadcast by the BBC here in the UK. The long-wave transmitters are now silent 🥲
Global Star is scheduled to launch more advanced satellites in 2025 via partnership with Apple. I believe satellite messaging capabilities will be incredibly awesome…
Didn't even started playing the video, but, just so you understand, it's a device made just and in exclusive for geolocation via satelite vs an iPhone that has a similar function.
I use my Garmin Forerunner 955 (Tracking/Navigation) in combination with my inreach Messenger (Emergency/Chatting). Works perfectly.
Being able to use find my to share location over satellite is nice too.
Thanks for doing this video 👍
Thanks for the great video. We were in the path of Hurricane Helene and didn’t have WiFi and very poor cell service for a time. I was wondering how the sat service would work and found your video after things got back up and running. I know it was in beta when you made your video but seems to be very close to the way it rolled out.
The issue with the InReach is the subscription cost. An iPhone I already have, and pair it with a PLB, and I'm golden if I get in a pinch. Set off PLB, send message via iPhone about location or issue, wait for rescue.
For scuba diving, inReach Mini 2 size and portability (fits in a dive pocket even with the 100m water proof case) is irreplaceable
Really good use case. But literally 10 people need this
@@nilsalb Not really. I used to run dive trips to very remote areas. I can tell you that while not huge, there is still a substantial market for exactly that scenario.
@@nilsalb I'm one of the 10. :)
Had it to 143 ft on the Vandenberg in Key West in the dive case.
If SpaceX Starlink follows through with their promise to offer free SOS services to cell providers anywhere (the way I understand it) then I'll stick with my cellphone and ditch the Garmin. Until that happens, I'll get the cheaper essential service Garmin just put out and wait. Thanks for testing the two, good video!
I think that there is room for both types of system on the market but cell phone satellite links will become better. What I hope is that Garmin and others reduce the cost of a monthly subscription to first keep their market share and as more satellite services are being launched, the available bandwidth should make it relatively cheap to get satellite capacity and easier for competing messaging services to pop up and this should be reflected in their subscription.
The Google Pixel 9 uses Garmin's SOS services and it's also free for at least two years. Most people don't need these devices more than a few times per year. I think once these phone apps start maturing the market for standalone devices will collapse. Nobody wants to deal with monthly subscriptions and activation fees. They only put up with it because there aren't any other options.
quick question does this only work from iphone
to iphone?
Nice video
Just by in reach mini ! It’s designed to be satellite communicationactor and works any where in world
My guess on the “2 years free satellite messaging” is they’re going to use that to get you to upgrade your iPhone every 2 years. More and more people are going longer with their iPhones as upgrades each year are slowing down and hardly worth upgrading for.
Great idea Dave. I think this is just fantastic that we can now use our iPhones in an emergency…or the occasional ultra!
Interesting, thanks for the video
Just a heads up, Apple said they redesigned some of the iMessage protocol to be ultra efficient in order to send better on satellite so it probably is actually better than SMS
Thank you for your review. Do fenix 8 or any latest garmin watches have satellite messages built in them? Or you still need a standalone device with subscription?
Still not built into watches the technology is still “too big”
Great video. Very helpful.
If you just want a device that allows you to contact somebody in case you car gets a defect or something like that, the iphone can be perfect, you can walk to a point with connection if needed. If you are more of an adventurer the iphone can only give a false sense of safety, you should go for an inreach or similar. The video also shows you just can't rely enough on the iphone to get a connection if needed (even if that just means keeping family updated).
My Iridium 9575, which is a dedicated sat phone doesn’t work well under tree cover or from inside a car. In order for a sat phone to work, you need a clear unobstructed view of the sky. I suspect the iPhone would have worked better if you weren’t under a tree canopy.
One thing I wonder is if this will create problems for airlines. Airplane mode was made during an era where the longer wavelengths of cellphones at the time “could” interfere with instruments. If half the people on a plane have a GPS that can transmit data on a similar frequency as the aircraft instruments, will there be problems? They’re also eventually adding StarLink to iPhones AND every United Airlines aircraft. There’s going to be a lot of signals in the cabin in the near future.
“GPS” at the end user is receive only. So our phones “GPS” does not transmit. Albeit, many other transmissions are pouring from our cell phones constantly. There are all sorts of “signals” everywhere you go now. Noise rejection in avionics and other important instrumentation has become more advanced.
@@afdccesd470 I’m talking about the text to satellite feature. I’m not sure what frequency it’s using. FCC wouldn’t allow it to be the same as GPS, but it’s close to it, there’s the possibility of interference. I’m guessing it’s either using a licensed carrier frequency band, or a free public low power frequency band. Normally not a problem, because your phone doesn’t send if it’s not receiving. But with satellite connectivity, especially SpaceX StarLink, I’m curious if there could be some minor issues or observations.
I think you kinda screwed the Apple test when you tried to send the text before turning on the Satellite connection. It was hung up until it failed and then tried again. Happens to me all the time on a less than ideal regular cell connection.
This is an interesting video and all but all I can think of is - is that the new pixel watch 3? On your right wrist?
Yep! Review coming soon!
Thanks for this video. Definitely InReach is more reliable. I’ve had it for years and gives me great peace of mind during my hikes. I love my InReach explorer.
Thank you, great content! I can confirm, it does work!!!! Very cool!!!!
For my use case, possible emergency text from my family back at home, the iphone doesn't appear to work for that.
I have the same question and he did reply back to his satellite iPhone from his cellular iPhone and it appeared he had to turn towards a satellite, but I would be curious if when that happens you get a text or an alert telling you to point it to a satellite, but not sure how that would work if you aren’t connected.
No satelite messaging for the ios 18 update in the uk yet. I have both inreach and iphone and prefer the iphone,
Keep in mind you get 2 years or more free when getting a new iPhone which is 24 months. If you own a garmin and pay 12 dollars a month that would have been 288 usd 😅 can’t complain there.
I think it will work the same way as cellular connection. In a way that you can type in the messages first and let the phone do the work of sending the messages as it gets the reception as you move.
I did this often in the deep forest with very spotty reception. I knew i got a window of good connection when all the incoming replied messages suddenly chimed in. All my typed messages did go through as I was hiking. In short, I don’t have to babysit them or hold still to make sure they go through. So I think the same is applied to satellite connections. The only caveat is I always have to write the time (sometimes coordinate when writing those messages), so the recipient knows that these messages are not real time.
Anyway, I have not tested sending ‘current location’, so.. that’s for next time I hike.
Your Pixel 9 Pro can do Satellite SOS, perhaps you test that out as well. Thanks!
Indeed. Except I can't test SOS without triggering an emergency response lol. Once pixel can do standard messaging over Satellite I'll have a follow up video!
@@ChaseTheSummit I saw another RUclipsr do it, there's a demo just like the iPhone. The Pixel performed a little better than the iPhone and it was suspected that was due to utilizing geostationary satellites.
Chase the Summit, I love your channel so much, I just had to subscribe!
I’m in the uk and it is working
Yeah being a Vermonter sadly VT is a cellular dead zone I love my 16 Pro Max and use this often 💚
I live in a very remote area near Alaska. Firstly global star satellites are garbage. Iridium satellites which garmin uses has very good coverage and fairly quick at sending and receiving messages. Could you imagine if you had an emergency and had to use an apple iPhone to find a satellite with a broken leg? I love my inreach and wouldn’t leave without it.
How did you fool the iPhone to think there wasn’t any cell or WiFi service? Very important for testing, thank you
I’d like to know too. There are times when I’m in the woods and have a signal too weak to do anything but the phone still thinks I’m connected so I can’t get to the satellite function.
@@du3223 Yeah, I was wondering the same thing... I wouldn't be surprised if Apple and Google failed to think of the real world situation whereby the phone is 'technically' connected to a distant tower but absolutely cannot get a call or SMS out...
Can you try that feature in the Google Pixel, I remember they have that Satellite SMS as well was wondering how can it perform irl. Btw great video
Pixel only supports SOS over satellite and not recreational messaging yet. So it's not something I can test without getting in trouble lol.
Here's a realistic test: try to use your iphone in pouring rain outdoors, or even light rain: It simply doesn't work, you can't use the touchscreen! Also Garmin provides tracking included with most of their plans, and the inReach battery will last a week, not 24 hours like an iPhone. You also can't break and inreach by dropping it on a rock, unlike an iphone screen. Don't chance your life, it's cheap insurance!
Lmfao, this is a joke right? Throw you hood on and dry your hand off! Problem solved 🥹✌️
Turn it upside down and put it above your head under a cap or something. Duh!
if you are just using iPhone off grid for messages here and there then the battery will last like 5 days easily. or 2 days if you are using it tons and have the screen on for 4-5 hours a day. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ you can also just use dictation and voice to type and navigate the phone in the rain. real easy solutions to your "test" and took 5 seconds to think of these solutions.
Recent versions of qualcomm chips chips for Android phones have 'sat' capability built in. Is it just an Android release away before we see that happening?
Pixel 9 already has it! Only it’s limited to sos communication right now.
I know you said that this does not cover the emergency call but I wonder if the Apple service will also send a call to emergency services using satellite if a fall has been detected or only if the call is done manually. BTW, I'm always worried that I will activate an emergency call using fall detection as there have been MANY falls detected that were nothing but banging on something while working. Apple needs to significantly improve the fall detection algorithm to reduce false alarms. I know I can disable the feature but it may come in handy at some point. I just don't want to see helicopters circling my location in the wilderness because I did not realize that my watch detected a fall.
The iPhone is incapable of making satellite phone calls. It can only send messages because they're very small in terms of the data needed.
@@ChaseTheSummit this is a good or bad thing however fall /crash detection notifications could have been implemented to be sent as a text to 911 or dispatch centre like Garmin. As it happened several times with skiers , false alarms have happened.
How did you fool your iPhone for this test to think it had no connection. You skipped that part. Nice video
delete the e sim is my guess
Can you send a message via Apple Satellite to another Apple connected to satellite. Say both of you are out hiking and are hiking at a different pace and want to check that the other person is ok or to confirm where you’re meeting that evening etc. So both out of cell coverage and no WiFi etc. can you communicate with each other just with your iPhones via satellite…..?
@@jno5 yes
*How would you know when you need to receive a message?*
You won’t. I think the idea is just to “check in” from time to time. For example if you’re setting up camp you could catch up on the messages of the day.
Great video! Very realistic. Let’s sit back and see what Apple charges down the road after we all get hooked on this service 😢
I like how 10 minutes in you said "right now I'm standing still", the amount of hand talking and swaying back and forth throughout was giving me anxiety to watch. Bro you weren't still for a single second of this video hahaha. Good video and information, little less coffee next time though haha (just teasing you, said with love)
Can the satellite connection be used to show me an accurate map on my Iphone? I currently have a Garmin Montanna 700I, which I use as a GPS but also have In reach in case of emergency. If this works well, i might be leaving that behind while on my hikes.
The satellite connection isn't required for offline maps. You can simply download maps using Apple Maps or a third party app like GaiaGPS. Your phones GPS capabilities have nothing to do with having a cell signal so offline mapping has always worked. This new feature is only used to send/receive messages.
Will the satellite imessaging work without a carrier? Or no SIM card ?
I think it works on any carrier but it needs an active line including a sim or E-Sim to be enabled. It won't work without an active sim.
In Reach Primary, Iphone Back up!
Great to have redundancy!
I am sticking with my inReach Mini gen1.
What I want from the iPhone is weather dammit. Hahah. I get out to get away from texts, calls, etc.
I didn't understand. An iPhone that accepts text messages must be connected to a satellite? How does it receive text messages without a connection?
You need to actively maintain the connection in order to receive messages. If the phone is in your pocket it won't receive messages until you hold it up to the sky again.
Hi, does this work with non iMessages? Like SMS texting Android phones?
@@FMX8100 yes. It works with RCS, SMS, and iMessage
Thanks for this. You need to redo, once iOS 18 comes out...
Using the satellite messaging while running/driving is not a typical use scenario, just to be clear.
The Pixel 9 Pro also has satellite messaging. Can you test that in another video?
It has SOS over satellite but not non-emergency messaging like Apple. I can’t really test sos without getting in trouble 😂
I would like to see how Inreach was first month after release 😂
Good point!
to reiterate the issue, i have done a baja california trip had no signal, and have been sending safety message thro the inreach the whole trip three times a day. guess what iphone says. “area not supported”
there you go. 🎉
How does it work on the Iphone 14? Only SOS?
iPhone 14 has the same features and supports messaging and sos over satellite as long as you’ve updated to the latest IOS 18
Any idea if Apple will offer emergency air evacuation/transportation insurance the way Garmin does? I wouldn’t want to rely on Apple if I’m not going to be insured for an emergency evacuation.
They don't but you can get that from a third party pretty inexpensive like american alpine club.
@@ChaseTheSummit Cool, thanks for the info!
How did you trick your phone into thinking it doesn't have service?
It got very complicated. Essentially had to activate an E-Sim then cancel the service.
Hopefully it comes to pixel and all android phones soon! Lots of stories of people getting lost in the CO mtns without reception. One I think just the other day, but luckily they got reception after a day of being lost in the mtns.
Pixel 9 already has SOS over satellite! But having messaging would be great too!
Garmin's subscription pricing is outrageous-charging $36 USD per month for just 40 SMS messages (160 characters each). That works out to an eye-watering $0.90 per message. When you break down the actual data costs, the markup is staggering.
For context, many satellite providers charge around $0.005 per kilobyte for excess data, or about $5.12 per megabyte for commercial partners/resellers. A 160-character SMS uses roughly 0.137 KB, so the cost to send one message is just $0.000685 USD. In total, sending 40 messages would cost Garmin around 2.7 cents-even at premium rates from satellite companies like Iridium, Inmarsat, and Globalstar. Garmin does have an unlimited SMS "Expedition" plan, but you'd need to send over 96,000 messages for their wholesale data cost to match the $66 USD they charge you.
This $36 fee represents a more than 131,000% markup-an extreme overpricing of satellite SMS compared to actual data costs. It’s similar to the early days of telecom companies charging $20 per megabyte for international data roaming, only for leaked documents to reveal they were paying a nanoscopic fraction of that cost. Today, companies like Vodafone charge just $3 USD per day for gigabytes of international data per week of roaming, which is a 99.98% reduction in roaming fees almost overnight after being caught red-handed price gouging on international data roaming.
Long story short - Garmin are only marking up the price by over 130,000 percent because they've been one of the only players in the game for many years... They must be absolutely shitting themselves at the fact Apple and Google are stepping on their turf with satellite SMS services.
@@ChaseTheSummit Reportedly coming in the next Android release October 15. We will see.
Chase the Summit, wanna collab keep up the amazing work
I don't see the Apple satellite system catching up to the Garmin system for at least 10 years. And you hit it on the head these two systems are for different people. Pretty cool to see how these two work side by side though.
Hmm, maybe you can update this after the new phone 16. Apple told me the messaging does not work on the phones before 15.
I carry a ResQlink. Trees or anything else won't stop the signal. In reach and apple will or could fail on you for a sos. Beware. When I get hurt or lost bad if that happens I want a guaranteed communication. Both those won't or might fail. They've know to fail often.
Logo on shirt is not centered…❤
Works in Canada as well as the US
I prefer inReach over something that doesn't work where I'm located... 🙄
Amen ! I don’t see why people just don’t get an inreach mini . It works any where in world on the most reliable net work of iridium . Once it’s set up then safety plan is like 15$ a month . I have two of them , inreach mini and 66i and pay for both each month on safety plan
Garmin has just reduced subscription fees. The most basic is now 8 Dollars a month.
Yep but that plan doesn’t get you messaging. Only SOS.
Just pay for safety plan ! And use the messages as needed or the unlimited plan if you know you will use your inreach a lot . And for money 💰 …. Just learn to make make more . Invest into dividend paying stocks. And option ETFs like yield max . Some of yall are cheap A$$ MF. I pay for two inreaches on safety plan
@@ChaseTheSummit the way I interpret Garmin’s pricing is that the “Enabled” plan doesn’t include any free messages but all messages under that plan are $0.50 each (counted as overage).
@@DARTHDANSAN This gotta be a joke
Will satellite messaging work if Airplane mode is on?
I don't think so. Airplane mode disables all wireless communication.
do you think the iPhone would better for people where time isnt a factor? it sure would save a monthly payment that i have now with my zoleo. but i actually don't use it a lot. but i like it when i do need it. for when im in the outback with my motorcycle try8ing to text the wife at night and random water breaks throughout the day.
For your scenario it sounds like Apple satellite messaging is ideal
This is going to look like ancient history in a year or two as SpaceX deploys their satellite direct to 5G network. It’s already in testing phase and would allow any phone to text via satellite- any Android and any iPhone. Initially things going to be for TMobile only but it’s expected to open to other network customers once TMo exclusivity ends. Also, even during that period it’s will be available for anyone in an emergency situation. It’s actually in limited availability during Helene and Milton hurricanes with better coverage as SpaceX deploys more satellites with the 5G capabilitt
I’m confused, any time I’ve tried this by turning off all radios it won’t do anything, I thought it’s because it can still see that there is a tower in the area, but I see from the other phone on LTE that you are in range of a tower… How do I get my phone to give me the option to connect to satellite to test this out while still in range of a tower?
It got very complicated. You can’t simply just turn off cell/wifi. They need to be on but not in range of a connection. I basically had to add an active eSIM and then cancel the service from the carrier. That way the eSIM was still in the phone but there was no plan associated with it.
@@ChaseTheSummit you should of said that in vid or explained in comments. This is the thing we want to do. We need to test this and practice with loved ones about to be hit by hurricane.
@@ChaseTheSummit if I do not have a signal and I get a text from Home will I be able to receive that through satellite?
Will it show up that I have a message so that I should then try the satellite or will I only know if I turn on satellite?
@@arizona5253 you won’t know until you make a connection.
@@jmogyorothere is at least the Satellite Connection Demo. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages
Agree that they are for different people. If you plan on needing remote communications, then you need a Garmin. If you don't have a need for it, then having the Apple service for emergencies is just fine. (And don't forget that the Garmin devices have about a week worth of battery, while the phone might get you only for a day.)
I get 5+ days out of my phone pretty easily when I'm in the wilderness because when there's no service I'm basically only using it for pictures. Put it in airplane mode and use battery saver.
Next time pls let us know how long in seconds it took to send the messages
Yeah probably should have timed it. I edited it because watching me wait was pretty boring lol. In reality the Apple message sent in roughly 3-4 minutes. But the response message from the other iphone was nearly instant... you can see that in the video as it's unedited because it happened so quickly.
InReach is quicker. Probably 20-30 seconds max for a message unless you're moving or in challenging conditions. I've had situations where my InReach message didn't send for 15 minutes because I was actively moving/running.
Reality is that Satellite messaging isn't perfect. It takes time no matter how you slice it.
Hope that helps!
I'll use my Garmin inReach Mini 2 instead of my phone in the backcountry because it's much more durable and weatherproof than my phone.
Awesome review bro.awesome sat com capabilities from Iphone. However I’ve got InReach Mini 1.great device wich gives me peace of mind when I’m out sailing, trail running, hiking….even with the basic sat plan. rugged, waterproof, baddass looking but the Garmin Earthmate app isn’t as sleek as Apple software.looks actually like a joke, like using windows XP in 2024. The messenger app with Mini 2 looks way better. 🌿hi from New Zealand
Agreed. I get frustrated every time I need to change a setting or try to set up a live track with InReach. Like, why doesn't it tie into Garmin Connect with some sleek interface?! My watch and InReach act like they're from two different companies.
What size is your F8? 47 or 51?
In this video 47mm
@@ChaseTheSummit Thank you!
Also thank you for the whole video :)
How do you trick the phone so that those who want to test it themselves can???
It's really difficult lol. I basically had to activate a new carrier service plan... add the E-Sim to the iPhone and then cancel the service. You can't just remove the E-Sim, or turn of cellular, or wifi. Everything needs to be enabled just outside of cell tower or wifi range.
@@ChaseTheSummit Dang. I'll get to test it next month while out camping. I think for this specific situation it will be useful as most state parks are out of range of signal, so I'll still be able to get messages/send messages when needed. Thanks for the response!
@@dblack8262how did it go?
In Alaska Iridium is all that really works. Too bad.