IPhone 14 Satellite Capability

[Carr5vols]

Not an Apple fan but watching todays Apple release with wife and new 14 has SOS satellite capability...

 

[gilby]

Hopefully some Android phones add this feature in the next year. It appears Apple just added the SOS feature and not a satellite sms chat feature.

 

[prm]

It certainly looks interesting. They indicated you could also simply send your location to contacts.

iPhone 14 and 14 Pro gain satellite SOS for off-grid emergencies | TechCrunch

Apple is adding a limited form of satellite connectivity to new iPhones that lets users send an SOS even when they're off the grid, no dish required.

techcrunch.com

Apparently T-Mobile is working on a capability as well. One that is for more normal communications. Not yet ready.

 

[ODB]

Interesting. Too bad they aren’t using the iridium network.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

T mobile going to do a trial run w SpaceX for text messaging in out of service areas in I believe 2023 or 2024


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trogers861]

I'll be grabbing a new 14 when they go for sale Friday (my Iphone 8 is an antique). Interested in trying this out. I just purchased an inreach mini (still in the box). I bought the inreach for two purposes. First, SOS. Second, to let my wife know I'm ok. It sounds like the iphone 14 is going to take care of my first reason, the SOS. However, I am not sure its going to check the box of letting my wife know I am safe. Having her see my location on a map will be cool, but that doesn't necessarily mean I am safe. I am assuming they will provide more functionality as time goes on.

 

[ODB]

“Free for two years”. Then some unspecified charge. Dunno, I like my inReach as I can send as many messages as I want and also receive messages back easily. The article didn’t say two-way comms. We’ll see how it all pans out.

 

[Marbles]

It is certainly a cool feature, but having to point the phone at the correct spot in the sky sounds very cumbersome. Even with two way sms it would still be less functional than an inReach do to having to hold the phone up to check for messages.

It will be interesting to see how it works with cloud cover.

Sounds like Apple put a lot of work into this. If there was an iPhone 14 mini I would be very tempted to give one a try even if it is Globalstar.

 

[KBC]

I was excited when I first heard about it but after reading the article posted above it looks pretty lame compared to what my Inreach does. I've asked for extra time off work with my Inreach in the past but with the new iPhone I'll have to fake an emergency.
I can't wait for the competitors to come out with something better, I've been wanting to ditch the iPhone for awhile now.

 

[fwafwow]

Good thread - I was thinking about starting the same discussion. It would be awesome to have regular text capabilities as well. But the emergency feature could be a good redundancy to my inReach Mini.

 

[Forestryguy]

Listened to a podcast today. They were saying that T-mobile is working to use StarLink. It will be interesting to see where this technology goes in the next few years. Ill still run my 7 plus till they work the bugs out these new ones.

 

[northernalpine]

Most chipset manufacturers producing for 5G designed phone service already have it built in (frequency wise); it'll be up to the service providers from both cell/sat to work out the protocols and actual services available. The other limiting factor is power for it to hit mainstream is the required handset power to initiate comms with an orbiting vehicle, basically the FCC regulations.

 

[mtwarden]

it's a good first step, but very far away from replacing and inReach

while everyone wants a SOS feature first and foremost, the ability to text someone (and receive) texts is what you'll use 99% of the time- "going to be a day later", "I've changed plans, pickup me up at this other trailhead", "got a bull down, bring your pack", etc, etc , etc

and while the newer phones are pretty tough (and even tougher w/ a case), they don't compare to the durability of the inReach

so maybe the iPhone 16 or 17

 

[Forestryguy]

It will be a big jump when all of this is packed into a smart phone that can also function as we know them today. I am pretty sure that I have seen the the same or similar thing being done by HAMM guys. I am thinking that it is only off of digital repeater and not satellites. You can type a message into a program and it is transmitted. Not sure if it is received in a text format, morse-code. The system I saw would be to large to carry for hunting, unless you really needed comms. I am going to bet that this tech is already utilized at some level of military operation. We went from PRC-17 to radios the size of an old sat phone in a short time span once the GWOT started up.