iPhone compared to inreach?

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Sep 30, 2025
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For those that have an inreach, how does the new iPhone update compare to an inreach? Is it similar? Are inreaches becoming pointless?
 
For those that have an inreach, how does the new iPhone update compare to an inreach? Is it similar? Are inreaches becoming pointless?
Buddy and I hunted Brooks range in Aug. He took an inreach, I took my iphone. Inreach is much faster for back and forth texting, SOS (if needed). Iphone is very much point at the sky and wait for it to connect to the satellite, then wait for it to send texts, etc. Very weather dependent on connection as well.

It should NEVER replace a dedicated sat comms device in a wilderness situation. Having said that, I guess it depends on where you're going and what you're risk tolerance is.

Me personally, now having one AK trip under my belt, I will be buying an Inreach before next Fall. There are others here who recommend a beacon device (like getting stuck in an avalanche) as a tertiary device - you can search on Rokslide for those conversations.
 
Buddy and I hunted Brooks range in Aug. He took an inreach, I took my iphone. Inreach is much faster for back and forth texting, SOS (if needed). Iphone is very much point at the sky and wait for it to connect to the satellite, then wait for it to send texts, etc. Very weather dependent on connection as well.

It should NEVER replace a dedicated sat comms device in a wilderness situation. Having said that, I guess it depends on where you're going and what you're risk tolerance is.

Me personally, now having one AK trip under my belt, I will be buying an Inreach before next Fall. There are others here who recommend a beacon device (like getting stuck in an avalanche) as a tertiary device - you can search on Rokslide for those conversations.
I’m just hunting regular ol Colorado and I’d say ditto.

The iPhone sat com works, barely, and needs babysitting. The InReach just plain works 99% of the time.
 
I'm still carrying my Inreach. Using satellite messaging requires deliberate effort -you have to stand there and track with a satellite, its not that big of a deal under normal cicumstances, but I can hit "check in" on the InReach and start setting up camp while its linking. Satellite messaging, just like your Inreach, can take a few minutes. IMO, its good redundancy to have both, but if you're going to be sending out multiple updates a day on the phobe, you're going to be spending a lot of time turning in circles tracking a satellite.
 
Since satellite texting is only available on iPhone 14 or newer, and I have an iPhone 13, I can pay my monthly Inreach subscription fee for about 5 years instead of buying a new phone that has satellite messaging
 
I’m looking to buy a inreach, I just returned yesterday from a hunt and I personally think the iPhone thing is a hoax, maybe in a extreme emergency situation where you could just leave it in place to get a satellite signal
But not for me
 
Anyone utilized the T Mobile Satellite service yet in the backwoods to prove its claims? It seems intriguing but hesitant to trust.
 
My experience seems to be different than most here. I had both my iPhone and in reach on an Alaska island hunt. When I sent a message on my in reach it took a while to get the signal the message sent and a while to get the same sound the reply had come in. What the in reach does have is the SOS button should you be seriously injured and that is the only feature I miss. The downside to the iPhone is you need to orient to the satellite but once oriented the messages were fairly quick. I ended up selling my in reach. One last thing is you need to be prepared to keep your iPhone charged because the in reach has better battery life. I do not anticipate getting another in reach.
 
Anyone utilized the T Mobile Satellite service yet in the backwoods to prove its claims? It seems intriguing but hesitant to trust.

I have T Mobile and described my experience above. I will add that you are limited to 500 characters and, upon testing a max character length text this past weekend, the message never indicated that it had fully uploaded. I eventually got bored with trying to upload it and abandoned the text attempt, however, the message was actually received. My IpHone weather app worked as well which could be useful.
 
The iPhone satellite texting just isn’t there yet — at least for me in CO.

It’s slower to connect and more finicky.

iPhones are also more fragile than an inReach, less battery life, and lack an easy SOS button.
 
I have T Mobile and described my experience above. I will add that you are limited to 500 characters and, upon testing a max character length text this past weekend, the message never indicated that it had fully uploaded. I eventually got bored with trying to upload it and abandoned the text attempt, however, the message was actually received. My IpHone weather app worked as well which could be useful.
Ah sorry missed your testimony! Thanks for the feedback!
 
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