Apple Watch to Eventually Gain Satellite Connectivity Feature for SOS and Emergency Contacts

[TheDailyApple]

Satellite internet requires a large antennae and a lot of power. But the bandwidth necessary for sending short messages is much smaller and is achievable in a smaller form factor. Take GPS for instance, it is a form of satellite connectivity, and fits in an apple watch just fine. (GPS only needs the bandwidth to send coordinates and altitude.) The low bandwidth is why this would only support messages and not voice calling. I think people are confusing any satellite connectivity at all with satellite internet.

-Edit-
As others have responded, GPS is a bad example since it is one way communication. My main point is that the bandwidth small text messages require is much less than the bandwidth (and thus equipment) voice calling or internet requires.

 

[ineedanaccont]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

I remember reading a story from 10+ years ago where a guy was lost in the ocean or a forest and he activated his SOS and it cost tens of thousands of dollars...?

Ya that’s why it’s for emergencies. Garmin has quite a few of these devices for outdoor enthusiasts.

You could pay thousands for an air rescue or die… that’s how to think about it.

 

[SenorWhyMe]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

I remember reading a story from 10+ years ago where a guy was lost in the ocean or a forest and he activated his SOS and it cost tens of thousands of dollars...?

not going to lie sounds expensive but If I was lost in the ocean with a high possibility that I would die; I think I would spend that 10k

 

[no_idea]

I think I’d rather rely on instinct and survival skills vs a watch for this…can’t imagine someone stuck in the mountains and their watch battery is dead to where they scream “if only my Apple Watch was charged”

 

[munpip214]

I can see an apple+ documentary coming soon

 

[Christiandflores]

Apple Watch with emergency solar charging and satellite. That’d be a best seller

 

[_Spinn_]

This would be very cool when you are outside normal cell service.

Can you imagine if Apple just launched their own satellites for this instead of using an existing network?

 

[Christiandflores]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

I remember reading a story from 10+ years ago where a guy was lost in the ocean or a forest and he activated his SOS and it cost tens of thousands of dollars...?

Tens of thousands is a pretty good deal for ride-hailing in the middle of the ocean. Even Uber couldn't beat the Coast Guard’s price considering it’s larger than some navies. I bet he had to wait less time than at an airport.

 

[DaveN]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

I remember reading a story from 10+ years ago where a guy was lost in the ocean or a forest and he activated his SOS and it cost tens of thousands of dollars...?

I think you are conflating two items. Quite sure that the SOS system didn't cost tens of thousands to notify but if a person sends out an SOS when it is not an emergency, they can get charged for the cost of the rescue.

 

[DaveN]

Satellite internet requires a large antennae and a lot of power. But the bandwidth necessary for sending short messages is much smaller and is achievable in a smaller form factor. Take GPS for instance, it is a form of satellite connectivity, and fits in an apple watch just fine. (GPS only needs the bandwidth to send coordinates and altitude.) The low bandwidth is why this would only support messages and not voice calling. I think people are confusing any satellite connectivity at all with satellite internet.

Yes. Just like the Garmin two way InReach devices. They aren't very big and are good for two way text communication. They use mid height satellites that aren't geostationary much like Starlink but are higher than Starlink's satellites. There are other new satellite constellations going into low orbit like Starlink and so now you have much closer antennae so an even smaller and lower powered earth bound receiver can reach them for short data exchanges. Very possible to have a phone and watch based satellite texting/sos system.

 

[clevins]

I’ve been using a small satellite tracker with emergency SOS text for years, a Spot Gen3 GPS tracker. Got it because I go on long-distance bicycle rides where there is no or limited cellular coverage, especially in Northern Ontario, or the Atlantic Provinces. Works like a charm, and is about the size of an iPhone.

Sure but... the Watch is like 1/8th the size of a phone.

 

[Analog Kid]

Satellite internet requires a large antennae and a lot of power. But the bandwidth necessary for sending short messages is much smaller and is achievable in a smaller form factor. Take GPS for instance, it is a form of satellite connectivity, and fits in an apple watch just fine. (GPS only needs the bandwidth to send coordinates and altitude.) The low bandwidth is why this would only support messages and not voice calling. I think people are confusing any satellite connectivity at all with satellite internet.

GPS is not the right comparison to make here…. GPS receivers are, well, receivers… They don't send anything.

Yes. Just like the Garmin two way InReach devices. They aren't very big and are good for two way text communication. They use mid height satellites that aren't geostationary much like Starlink but are higher than Starlink's satellites. There are other new satellite constellations going into low orbit like Starlink and so now you have much closer antennae so an even smaller and lower powered earth bound receiver can reach them for short data exchanges. Very possible to have a phone and watch based satellite texting/sos system.

You realize how huge that is compared to an Apple Watch, right? That thing on the top corner is the antenna.

45mm S7: 16.7 cubic cm, 38.6g
InReach Mini 2: 133.6 cubic cm, 100g



Not to say LEO satellite comms couldn't ever be put in a watch, but let's not make it sound like the Garmin device proves the problem is solved...

 

[joecomo]

Great - but what about international roaming with the watch. In Europe the lack of this feature is really annoying.

 

[aajeevlin]

Satellite internet requires a large antennae and a lot of power. But the bandwidth necessary for sending short messages is much smaller and is achievable in a smaller form factor. Take GPS for instance, it is a form of satellite connectivity, and fits in an apple watch just fine. (GPS only needs the bandwidth to send coordinates and altitude.) The low bandwidth is why this would only support messages and not voice calling. I think people are confusing any satellite connectivity at all with satellite internet.

Actually GPS is a one-way communication. It (GPS) sending signal to you (devices) but the devices do not communicate back. Also GPS satellite does not provide direct coordinate and attitude, you might think that because most of the GPS devices masks that by doing a lot of calculation in the background which makes people think GPS sends out coordinate and altitude. GPS satellite (at least the ones by the US), sending out whats called pseudo-range and carrier phase, along with some identification information. It provides no additioanl information beyond that.

 

[jaytv111]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

I remember reading a story from 10+ years ago where a guy was lost in the ocean or a forest and he activated his SOS and it cost tens of thousands of dollars...?

Some authorities charge you for a rescue. That is likely the charge he incurred as opposed to being charged for using SOS by itself, but really what good is SOS without a rescue.

One class of satellite devices is called PLBs or Personal Locator Beacons and they are no cost to use, but you pay for the device cost. Another is the satellite communicator which you pay for a subscription (you can't use it otherwise, even for emergencies, so you can't just buy a satellite communicator and use it for SOS without paying for a subscription first). But a subscription to Garmin Inreach is like $15+ a month and all plans let you use it for SOS.

A PLB is what you use only for emergency SOS, but Garmin Inreach let you send and receive text messages on the Iridium satellite network.

 

[JackNL]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

Really, that's your concern when you're in trouble in the ocean? Wow, can't wrap my head around this...

 

[JackNL]

This is total BS. This would require a large antenna, clear view of the sky, and enough power to make your fingers fall off.

Check Breitling Emergency watch.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Errrr you’ve heard of satellite phones haven’t you?

Maybe checkout Garmin InReach if you think this technology doesn’t exist in such small sizes….

So…. Something that’s massive in comparison to an Apple Watch with a gigantic, thick, hard rubber antenna sticking out of it?

I’m confused, it sounded like you were refuting his statement, but you’ve strengthened it.

 

[hugodrax]

So what kind of Magic Inmarsat or Iridium antenna are they going to install inside this watch?

 

[hugodrax]

Check Breitling Emergency watch.

Uses two different frequencies and a pull out antenna for UHF/VHF.

 

[Prof.]

Really, that's your concern when you're in trouble in the ocean? Wow, can't wrap my head around this...

I guess what I was getting at is...

Hopefully there is a foolproof way of preventing people from accidentally activating it or activating it when there is cell service, or no real emergency.

You'd be surprised how many people call 9-11 for stupid reasons. We had a lady call activate SOS cuz someone accidentally pulled on her hair on the bus...

 

[Analog Kid]

Check Breitling Emergency watch.

I‘m not sure it’s what people are imagining, but it is pretty cool given the challenges involved:

 

[fbadini]

Check Breitling Emergency watch.

Only for a rugged oversized version of Apple Watch

 

[ersan191]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong

I know some luxury watches have this feature, but using this feature costs $$$.

I remember reading a story from 10+ years ago where a guy was lost in the ocean or a forest and he activated his SOS and it cost tens of thousands of dollars...?

If you're talking about the Kayaker from San Francisco, it cost $42,335.97 and the US Coast Guard paid for it out of their budget - some people are annoyed about it being a waste of taxpayer money but it didn't cost the guy who got rescued anything.

Cost of Marin kayaker’s ocean rescue? $42,000. Who pays the bill?

Critics of kayaker Cyril Derreumaux argue that his trip was an act of folly that...

www.sfchronicle.com

 

[0924487]

God I hope this doesn’t mean they’re signing up for Starlink…

Starlink requires a very large and high powered transceiver. It's a physics limitation that Apple has no way of overcoming.