Jeremy jones launches device that turns your iphone into a sat phone

Pretty cool device for iPhone or Android though it appears to be text based. By the article's title I thought it actually converted the phone to be an actual sat phone.

Kickstarter site: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/124657937/somewear-limitless-communication-built-for-adventu

It's basically the same as the InReach unit. Both are Bluetooth capable aboth are able to use the phone to type/send messages. Both send coordinates/map.
Seems mutual monthly price point.
It will be interesting to see what the unit's price will be. If it's equal, I would prefer the InReach unit.
InReach allows interval tracking signals sent automatically whereas the Somewear sends the location each time a message is sent.
I've not tried to view weather via phone screen and not sure if my InReach even offers this so that would be a bit of an advantage for the Somewear.
Size of the Somewear is an inch or so smaller.

Now, if they could convert the phone as an actual Sat phone??? And the price was competitive to current sat phones? That would be a better buy vs carrying two phones.

I have the garmin mini... honestly I'm not seeing any difference at all; same size, mostly the same features, price of the plan seems comparable... Personally I'm going to go with the company that has been in the satellite business for decades and has the budget to do real product testing, but I think it is a decent alternative and hopefully will be a good competitor for garmin (assuming they don't get bought out like Delorme)

Sytes, the mini does weather through the app, a full report "costs" a text message and gives you a pretty detailed report including marine weather (tides etc.) if you are on the coast.

Interesting. Always good to have competition in the market but since they are essentially the exact same thing at the same unit cost and monthly plan cost I'd agree that Garmin is the better bet. I've had zero problems with my Delorme branded InReach over the last few years.