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Garmin Announces New inReach With Voice and Photo Messaging
Garmin, maker of the popular inReach Mini satellite communicator used by many thru-hikers, today announced its first-ever satellite communicator with voice and photo messaging capabilities. The Garmin inReach Messenger Plus retails for $499 and weighs 4.1 ounces, making it $100 and 0.6 ounces heavier than the inReach Mini 2.
The new device will retain all the features of the Mini 2, such as two-way text communication, location tracking and sharing, weather forecasting, and interactive SOS. inReach Messenger Plus users will also be able to send photos, voice messages up to 30 seconds long, and longer (up to 1600-character) texts. Garmin says the inReach Messenger Plus will send and receive messages faster too.
“The new and enhanced messaging capabilities of the inReach Messenger Plus gives users a more personal and emotional way to communicate with friends and family when cell service isn’t available. Tell your family you’ll be home late, send a photo of the epic view to your friends or simply exchange voice messages to hear the person on the other end of the line,” says Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales.
The announcement comes just two days after the release of Apple iOS 18, which gives iPhone users expanded satellite messaging features including emojis and tapback reactions on top of SOS capabilities. Satellite messaging is also expected to come to Android 15 phones.
Featured image courtesy of Garmin
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Comments 2
I just got back from a backpacking trip to an alpine lake a few hours ago. My brother came with me, and we both have iPhone 14 Pros with iOS 18. We were sending messages via satellite to our mother back at home and others fairly easily through a process they know and understand how to use. Meanwhile, my inReach Mini was sitting on the shoulder of my backpack, and I was wondering why I had it. $15 a month for 10 messages, plus a $30-ish annual fee, while I can do the same thing with my phone for free. The only thing it really couldn’t do was weather forecasting, which has helped me make informed decisions in the past, but I don’t think that provides enough value anymore if phones are going to do everything else without fees. The Garmin inReach Messenger Plus adds more value with its new capabilities, but $500 gets you a good portion of the way to a solid phone, especially when Android phones can also send messages via satellite. I don’t know how long satellite messengers will remain relevant when phones are probably going to be able to integrate their functionality, and so much more, without an additional monthly and yearly fee.
… until you take a fall and bust the screen on your phone… that is one big reason why the Garmin is still relevant. It’s just more durable. Then there is battery life. I can charge my Mini 2, and do 5 days outdoors without a recharge. No Apple device I have can do that, even with Airplane mode. Now, I would agree that if Garmin gave you a dedicated number, that would be more beneficial. But honestly, I go out to disconnect, so there aren’t a lot of comms happening. And I doubt anyone who works outdoors, and whose life could be on the line, solely relies on an iPhone.