New Apple product launch today. Seems always to be same old, same old, not much different other than marketing hype. How many pixels do you really need...

but....

Quote: Safety service called Emergency SOS via Satellite that can connect to emergency services even if the user is outside of cellular or wi-fi range. It’s free for iPhone 14 users in the U.S. and Canada and launches in Canada.

How many items has the iPhone replaced? I'm a happy InReach Mini user... but man, this seems to be a game changer.

Youtube Link

Well that is certainly interesting…one way comms, like pressing the SOS button on a spot?

Video Highlight of feature

sns: "Well that is certainly interesting…one way comms, like pressing the SOS button on a spot? "

Two way

THEGrandRapids: "

sns: "Well that is certainly interesting…one way comms, like pressing the SOS button on a spot? "

Two way"

Neat. Watched the video...seems like this will slot in-between a SPOT and a Zoleo/InReach. 2-way comms, but only for emergency use. Non-emergency tracking is a real plus.

I have to think the next evolution in a few years will be allowing for non-emergency 2-way texts (I'm sure apple will provide that for free...not). That may largely kill InReach, Zoleo, Bivy Stick, etc.

Very cool–I could see the "triage" feature (the prompts asking you about your emergency) being very helpful in getting the right help quickly.

Now if I was also able to pull weather forecasts I'd ditch my inReach in a heartbeat. Their subscription plans are painful if you're only doing a handful of trips a year.

MDVancleave: "...[inReach] subscription plans are painful if you're only doing a handful of trips a year. "

From the youtube video: the service is available on iPhone 14, and:
"...free, for two years..."
No mention of future cost.

Cool, I need a new phone to replace my Ancient iPhone 7.

schweady: "

MDVancleave: "...[inReach] subscription plans are painful if you're only doing a handful of trips a year. "

From the youtube video: the service is available on iPhone 14, and:
"...free, for two years..."
No mention of future cost.
"

I imagine it might get a standalone subscription but probably also bundled into an Apple One plan (which I'm already paying for). I'd guess about $5/month for the standalone given the base Garmin plan is more than $10 with some messaging included.

Satellite comms might be the new 5G in two years though so who knows what wireless tech will look like ¯\_(?)_/¯

Savage Voyageur: "Cool, I need a new phone to replace my Ancient iPhone 7."

I replaced my SE, which was basically a 6, earlier this year. Got a
13 mini and am sorry the 14 doesn’t include that size. The Sat feature is an interesting one. With the 14, I might find it most useful on local hikes in deep valleys where we run out of cell signal. One of my favorite runs is like that. In the wilderness, I’m happy with the Inreach.

With my upgrade schedule, we will see what they have available around the iPhone 19.

https://www.fool.com

Following this through the business side too. Small Globalstar being used by the mighty Apple and Global star has to go even deeper in debt to make it happen.

I'm not giving up my inreach. Part of the reason I go into the backcountry is to get away from my phone. Taking the inreach is part of a compromise I made with family so they will tolerate my travels. Phone will stay in the glove box of my jeep while I am out.

WOW…

It’s only a matter of time before other phones copy Apple.

It won’t make me buy a new phone, as I have the inReach and I usually wait until my phone carrier offers a free IPhone upgrade, but the next time I upgrade it might make my InReach outdated…depending on the eventual fees.

I would also guess…and I could be totally wrong…that my inReach will have better reception and better antenna, but who knows.

T

kenpark23: "I'm not giving up my inreach. Part of the reason I go into the backcountry is to get away from my phone. Taking the inreach is part of a compromise I made with family so they will tolerate my travels. Phone will stay in the glove box of my jeep while I am out. "

I don’t think the phone will work in the wilderness—you still need cell service for all the issues you seem to be worried about? It essentially is an Inreach/spot hybrid once you activate the SOS…you aren’t going to get work emails on it. If you did have cell service just put it in airplane mode until you have an emergency.

T

The SOS sat feature is free for the first two years, then it becomes a subscription service.

But yeah. This is the ONE feature Apple has implemented that makes me want a current iPhone with the latest tech. Otherwise I had been buying phones that are two years outdated.