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HIKERS, REJOICE: APPLE IOS 18 WILL LET YOU TEXT WHEN OFF THE GRID

With this fall’s update, hikers can map trails and stay in touch.

By Natalie B. Compton
June 11, 2024 at 5:24 p.m. EDT

(Washington Post illustration; iStock)

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Apple revealed big changes at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on
Monday, including new artificial intelligence tools and ways to hide your secret
apps. But a few of the announcements were geared toward outdoor enthusiasts,
particularly those prone to adventuring off the grid.


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According to the preview, Apple’s forthcoming iOS 18 release — which should be
available to the public this fall — will enable U.S. users with an iPhone 14 or
later to send and receive texts and emojis over iMessage and SMS even when cell
service or WiFi isn’t available. That would mean that if all goes according to
the company’s plans, your “Don’t worry, Mom, the camping trip is going great!”
text should get through even from the remote backcountry.



There’s no limit to the number of messages a user can send via satellite.

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For those with an iPhone 14 or later, the service will be part of Apple’s
existing satellite features available in iOS 18 in the United States. New
customers will get the feature free for two years starting at the time of
activation of a new iPhone 14 or later.

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If the new satellite texting will work similarly to that SOS feature, the Apple
Support website says “you need to be outside, on relatively open terrain, with a
clear view of the sky.” Tree foliage can slow down or block the connection, as
can hills, mountains or canyons.

The iOS 18 release will also feature new tools for hikers and forest bathers,
Apple said. Apple Maps, notably, will incorporate thousands of hiking routes
throughout America’s national parks and allow users to filter them by details
such as length or elevation. Hikers will also be able to create custom routes,
access trails offline and organize them in a new “Places Library.”

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Kevin Long, CEO of the camping app the Dyrt, called the announced updates “a
huge win for helping people get outside,” particularly at a time when American
interest in camping is high and campsite reservations are getting more
competitive. That has driven more people to try camping in the backcountry,
where service can be spotty, if not nonexistent.

Increasing connectivity “will help keep people safe — especially the millions of
first-time campers we’ve seen every year since 2020 — as they explore dispersed
camping,” Long wrote in an email.

Justin Wood, REI’s co-op director of experiences, said increasing the ability to
stay in touch can provide assurance to loved ones back home and make your time
in nature better. But having access to messaging isn’t an excuse to cut corners
on doing your homework ahead of a trip, he said.

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“Most importantly, everyone who plays outside should plan ahead, prepare
carefully, and choose activities and destinations that match their ability
levels to avoid issues that can arise, regardless of technology available,” Wood
wrote in an email.

Before it officially debuts as a software update for iPhone Xs and newer models,
a public beta version of iOS 18 will be available to try next month through the
Apple Beta Software Program.

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