When COVID-19 hit, I dove into mountain climbing, tenting, and backpacking since that was one factor you might do with out being round different individuals. Now, being within the backcountry is one thing that I completely like to do, and I attempt to guarantee I do it no less than as soon as each couple of months.
One of many issues that enables me to really feel protected out there may be my Garmin inReach, Garmin’s tiny satellite tv for pc communicator that not solely lets me alert emergency providers if I discovered myself in a foul state of affairs but in addition lets me textual content my household and associates to remain in contact.
Whereas the inReach has been a supply of consolation, it’s additionally include a price. Not solely is the inReach itself a whole lot of {dollars}, however the messaging, monitoring, and SOS options include a subscription of no less than $15 per 30 days relying on what number of messages, and so on you want to use.
Whereas I can message my household and associates, the person expertise can also be not nice. It requires the Garmin Earthmate app which, whereas useful, is definitely previous and in want of an replace. I additionally generally run into points utilizing somebody’s cellphone quantity and have as a substitute needed to resort to emailing individuals to make sure our messages get to one another.
Enter iOS 18 and Messages by way of satellite tv for pc
I’ve been hoping that Apple would finally construct out its personal know-how that may render my inReach ineffective, and it seems that’s precisely what Apple is doing.
The corporate already launched Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc some time in the past which lets you use your iPhone to message emergency providers if you end up and not using a Wi-Fi or mobile connection. The function additionally tracks your location and pings your emergency contacts, all by means of a reference to a satellite tv for pc. It’s mainly the identical factor you get with Garmin’s SOS function.
Whereas that was nice, I nonetheless wanted the inReach to message my family and friends with a view to keep in touch and allow them to know I wasn’t eaten by a bear. I’ve been ready for Apple to launch related messaging capabilities for the iPhone and, with iOS 18, it’s lastly right here. At WWDC 2024, the corporate introduced Messages by way of satellite tv for pc.
Not solely will the function allow you to message your loved ones and associates, however you’ll additionally have the ability to do it instantly by means of the Messages app by means of your current conversations slightly than by means of a separate app just like the Garmin Earthmate app. You’ll have the ability to use some iMessage options like emoji and Tapbacks and, in fact, all your iMessages can be end-to-end encrypted.
If the individual you’re messaging doesn’t use an iPhone, you’ll nonetheless have the ability to ship messages over SMS. They only gained’t get these privateness protections or extra options like iMessage has.
iOS 18 introduces Messages by way of satellite tv for pc for the occasions when mobile and Wi-Fi connections aren’t out there. Powered by the identical groundbreaking know-how as current iPhone satellite tv for pc capabilities, Messages by way of satellite tv for pc robotically prompts customers to connect with their nearest satellite tv for pc proper from the Messages app to ship and obtain texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.3 With Dynamic Island, customers at all times know when they’re related to a satellite tv for pc. As a result of iMessage was constructed to guard person privateness, iMessages despatched by way of satellite tv for pc are end-to-end encrypted.
This messaging expertise is a big improve in contrast to what’s at the moment provided by means of Garmin. With each SOS and messaging options, I can’t see a motive to proceed to make use of the Garmin inReach anymore besides as redundancy in case my iPhone exploded. Being that I additionally solely go backpacking and tenting with associates who even have satellite tv for pc communicators, I don’t suppose I’ll want the redundancy.
We’ll need to see what Apple fees for Messages by way of satellite tv for pc. The corporate has but to cost for Emergency SOS by way of Satellite tv for pc nevertheless it appears to plan to, although we don’t know what the value can be simply but. With messaging on the horizon, nevertheless, I think about that pricing may lastly make itself recognized.
Simply keep in mind that, attributable to requiring the {hardware} to help the satellite tv for pc options, Messages by way of satellite tv for pc will solely be supported on the iPhone 14 or newer. So long as the service isn’t greater than $15 per 30 days (truly, I’d most likely tolerate a little bit greater than that as a result of higher function set), I feel I’ll be dumping my inReach and heading into the backcountry with simply my iPhone sooner or later. What a world!