Garmin’s new inReach Messenger Plus
The satellite tracking device can now be paired with your smartphone
2 January, 2025, by Cross Country
Garmin inReach just got better. The satellite tracking device can now be paired with your smartphone to share photos. It can also exchange 30-second voice messages, while texting capabilities have increased from 160 to 1,600 characters. This is in addition to other new features such as mapping through the app and other updates.
Garmin say it’s a “giant leap” forward and uses an entirely different system and hardware. “Traditional inReach devices use Short Burst Data (SBD) packets to transmit text data,” they say. “However, inReach Messenger Plus uses Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT) to exchange photo and voice messages.
“It’s an entirely different system and requires different hardware, so while inReach Messenger and inReach Messenger Plus look similar and have the same rugged, temperature-resistant design, they offer different capabilities.”
Garmin say this has real world implications for emergency situations. “If an individual triggers an SOS message on inReach Messenger Plus, they can not only send their GPS coordinates, but also a photo to show the nature of the emergency, or they can quickly describe the situation using voice messages.”
It also means the device can be used outside of emergency situations to keep friends and family updated during a trip.
Garmin say the internal, rechargeable lithium battery gives users up to 25 days of battery life in 10-minute tracking mode.
Garmin inReach Messenger Plus retails at £429.99. A subscription package is also required, which start from £14.99 a month.
