Page 117 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Sigfox since 2018, and, in July 2021, added
support for Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and satellite via
Soracom Arc. Arc lets individual developers,
startups, and enterprises build IoT solutions
using their connectivity of choice, with
the unique ability to easily switch, add, or
blend connectivity options as requirements ensuring success at scale, no matter what the globe that currently has zero cellular
change – all without rearchitecting combination of hardware, cloud platform, coverage," said Fabien Jordan, cofounder
applications. Terrestrial cellular networks and wireless connectivity the use case and CEO at Astrocast. "Cost effective, low
now reach 90% of the world's population, requires,” said Kenta Yasukawa, cofounder power, bidirectional satellite technology
but cover only 15% of the earth's surface, and CTO at Soracom. “With the addition of brings new opportunities for a broad range
according to Astrocast. IoT deployments native satellite support, we are empowering of innovative use cases. Combining the
in remote locations, such as those found our customers to build new experiences Soracom platform's capability and ease
in precision agriculture, industry, mining, around connected devices while reducing of use with Satellite IoT gives integrators
energy, and maritime and other industries, total cost of ownership, accelerating and organizations a chance to explore
require the ubiquitous network availability speed to market, and ensuring complete and develop a new dimension to their IoT
that only satellite coverage can provide. control over every connection.” "There is deployments." Soracom’s native support
“Soracom is committed to accelerating significant demand within many industries for satellite-based IoT messaging is now
IoT deployments around the world and for IoT deployments across the 85% of offered on a Technical Preview basis.

Garmin Launches InReach Messenger for Device or App-Based Satellite

Communication

Garmin announced an addition to its In- messages with individual contacts or in satellite communication products for years.
Reach lineup with the Garmin InReach Mes- group messages. The app will automatical- In fact, I tested the InReach Mini earlier this
senger device and a Garmin Messenger ly pick the best network to send the mes- year and just about had to use it to call for
companion app. Garmin's InReach line pro- sage through, be it cellular, Wi-Fi or satel- help after a friend and I decided to go hiking
vides a way for those who frequently travel lite. The InReach Messenger has 28 days in very deep snow while being completely
outside of cellular service to communicate of battery life, is IPX7 rated for immersion underdressed and underprepared. So, the
with friends, loved ones, and emergency in up to 1 meter of water, and takes up lit- InReach Messenger isn't a direct reply to
responders using satellite communication. tle space, measuring 3.1 by 2.5 inches and Apple's new Emergency SOS via satellite
The InReach Messenger is a $299 gadget weighing 4 ounces. If your phone dies and that's launching in November on the en-
with a small display on it. You can use In- you need to use Messenger, you can charge tire iPhone 14 lineup. But Garmin's timing
Reach Messenger when paired with your your phone using the small device to give couldn't have been better. Satellite commu-
smartphone or as a stand-alone device you enough power to call for help. Any mes- nication via a smart device is a hot topic
to send and receive messages, including sages you send in the Garmin Messenger right now, thanks to Apple's announcement,
sending an SOS message to the Garmin app will require the recipient to sign up for and the conversation will no doubt will
International Emergency Response Coor- and use the free Messenger app on their draw a subset of users who want broader
dination Center. When it's paired with the mobile device. There's no fee to use the and more capabilities from a satellite com-
Messenger app, you can send and receive Messenger app on its own. Garmin has had munication product. Based on my past ex-
perience with a Garmin InReach device and
what Garmin promises to be possible with
Messenger, I have no doubt that Garmin's
offering has more features. However, it also
carries with it a monthly fee that starts at
$15, and to some extent requires that you
carry a secondary device. Apple's service,
however, is free for the next two years and
is built directly into an iPhone you'd already
have in your pocket. There are pros and
cons to that, of course. For example, if your
iPhone's battery is empty, you can't send
any messages, satellite or not.

117 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022