# Somewear — Satellite communication

> Smartphone satellite communicator for off-grid communication, tracking, and safety. (iPhone/iPad app by Somewear Labs, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/somewear/id1421676449 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Somewear Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1421676448)
- Category: Navigation, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.05/5 from 22 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 152 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2018-09-27
- Data updated: 2026-07-05
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/somewear/id1421676449/reviews.md

## What is Somewear?

Somewear keeps you connected when cellular ends. Resilient satellite, mesh, and cellular communications on the phone you already carry.

Pair your iPhone with a Somewear Node or Global Hotspot and it becomes a communicator that works where networks don't. World travelers, backcountry professionals, flight medics, wildland firefighters, and U.S. and allied special operations teams use Somewear to stay informed, stay in touch, and stay safe outside the reach of traditional networks.

What the app does:
• Messaging, location sharing, and SOS over satellite, mesh, or cellular — whichever path is available
• 3D terrain maps, teammate search, and variable-quality offline map downloads
• Track inspection to view movement history over time
• Device management for paired Somewear hardware

One network, automatic routing:
SmartRouting provides dynamic network selection with seamless integration. No configuration required, no overhead. The app picks the path. You stay connected.

Workspaces:
Your team, your data, your boundary. Each Workspace is an secure environment — members see each other, no one else does. Join with a QR code; leave in a tap.

Built for where cellular ends:
MIL-STD-810H hardware. IP68-rated. AES-256 encrypted. Resilient connectivity in your pocket.

## Key features

- Satellite messaging
- Real-time GPS tracking
- Off-grid weather reporting
- SOS emergency button
- Smart Routing technology
- Long battery life

## Recent user reviews (10 of 10)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/somewear/id1421676449/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Utterly frustrating, no support

*2026-06-29*

The device and app worked mostly fine until last year. At that point they started changing the default tracking frequency from 30 mins to 30 sec after each software update, causing the device to rapidly run out of battery and leading to massive data overage charges. In the latest version it’s not even possible to see or control tracking frequency. The hotspot is now completely useless for the rest of the subscription period.

Customer support is nonexistent; I had to do a credit card chargeback to get a refund. It looks like they’ve pivoted their business model and us legacy users are no longer worth bothering with. Fair enough, but they could have just explained the situation, cancelled the service, and put us out of our misery.

### 1/5 — The end of a great device

*2024-10-10*

Somewear previously worked well with decent communication, ok customer service and acceptable satellite coverage. It had some bugs but worked well enough to be safe in the backcountry and was the best device at its price point. On a recent trip, location tracking stopped working and customer service has been nonexistent. Despite several emails and phone calls I’ve been unable to get any support. For a device I count on for safety in the backcountry, this is totally unacceptable. I ultimately initiated a chargeback for the subscription fee and bought a new device.

### 3/5 — Good device - poor customer service

*2022-08-18*

Like device. Does what it is supposed to at decent price. Can’t get to my account. Tried resetting password with no luck. Email to company takes days for response and the last time they gave me a generic answer so I had to ask again. Still waiting for response. Subscription renews in three weeks. If I can’t access account within two weeks will start cancellation process. Too bad because I like this thing but can’t stick with it if I have no access to account.

### 4/5 — Love this satellite device

*2022-06-28*

Awesome app and device, have used this many times and it has never let me down. thankfully I’ve never needed to use the SOS but everything else works great. One thing that would be really great is if the weather had a bit more information, such as hourly wind.

### 3/5 — Excellent functions with some weird bugs

*2021-06-21, version 2.7.1*

It’s excellent for communication and navigation in the wilderness. The one bug which is poorly communicated is that once a contact makes a Somewear account (which they need to do to follow your location) all messaging comes through only via the online Somewear service, rather than SMS. SMS texting is allowed only to phone numbers not associated with an account. This app could be improved by allowing users to communicate via SMS with contacts who also have an account. Otherwise, any contact who hasn’t also downloaded the app can’t be reached,

### 5/5 — The answer to outdoor communication problems we all have

*2021-02-18*

As an outdoors adventurist, I often find myself lacking any phone signal to communicate to family and friends unless I find a perfect hill top. Pairing the app with the hotspot allows me to not only reach out to my family and friends anywhere in the world, but also gives me peace of mind with the SOS feature. Compared to others, this app is seamless and user friendly. Very innovative and futuristic approach to communication and safety.

### 1/5 — Extra fees

*2019-12-27*

Somewear forgets to mention in their literature that they charge you an extra $25 fee to sign up in addition to the monthly or yearly fee you’ll have to pay.

### 5/5 — Works great

*2019-04-20*

I use the Somewear box on an airplane quite frequently.  As for the app, excellent work.  The signal seems to vary greatly, but when you’re traveling at 500 miles an hour, that’s probably to be expected.  Keep up the good development!

### 3/5 — No way to cancel service on the app

*2019-01-18*

There is no way to cancel the monthly service within the app.

### 5/5 — Great App

*2018-11-08, version 1.2.2*

Set up was easy and my somewear device worked right away. Can’t wait to take it to the north woods.

## Frequently asked questions about Somewear

### What is Somewear?

Somewear is a satellite communication platform that turns your smartphone into a device capable of sending messages, tracking your location, and accessing weather reports even when you are outside of cellular coverage.

### Does Somewear have ads?

Yes, Somewear contains advertisements. This allows the app to remain free for users to download and utilize its core features.

### What devices does Somewear support?

Somewear is currently supported on iPhones. The app is designed to work seamlessly with Apple's mobile operating system.

### How often is Somewear updated?

The latest version of Somewear is 3.6.0, last updated on February 4, 2026. This indicates a commitment to regular updates and improvements for the application.

### What is the age rating for Somewear?

Somewear has an age rating of 4+. This means it is suitable for users of all ages, with no significant content restrictions.

### What are the key features of Somewear?

Key features include seamless satellite messaging, real-time GPS tracking, off-grid weather reporting, Smart Routing technology, and an onboard SOS button for emergencies.

### How does Somewear's GPS tracking work off-grid?

Somewear's GPS tracking allows you to share your real-time location with family and friends even when you are completely off-grid and without cellular service.

### Can Somewear be used for emergencies?

Yes, Somewear includes an onboard SOS button designed for the most serious emergencies, providing a critical lifeline when other communication methods fail.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.1.1 — 2026-06-05

Fixes and minor improvements for:
- Bluetooth Connections to both Nodes and Hotspots. Specifically addressed issues that were causing intermittent disconnects and bugs related to pairing to multiple devices in a row.
- Fixes to the Hotspot firmware update process to keep device paired after the Hotspot enters Bootloader mode.

### 4.1.0 — 2026-05-20

This release includes updates to the Map, improvements to Network Control, and more battery management options (Endurance Mode).

Map updates
- The map now supports MGRS locations in addition to longitude/latitude. Resources, planes, and helicopters are now shown in the map with their appropriate icons.

Network Control
- Performance improvements to the user list and other minor settings improvements.

Endurance Mode
- Endurance Mode is a new hardware setting that changes how frequently devices check the satellite connection for new messages from every 60 seconds to every 30 minutes, allowing the device to save battery between checks.

### 4.0.1 — 2026-04-24

iOS 4.0.0 is a major release. A redesigned interface, new map and situational awareness capabilities, and Network Control — giving operators and administrators deeper visibility into their team's network.

Redesigned interface:
The app has been rebuilt around a new tab-based navigation. Messaging and Map are now the primary tabs, putting the two surfaces you use most at the front of the app. Workspace management, settings, and hardware controls have been reorganized to reduce the steps between you and what you need.

Map and situational awareness:
• 3D terrain — for a clearer read on the operational environment
• Search and filter teammates on the map — find who you're looking for without scrolling a list
• Offline map quality tiers — higher quality for dense terrain detail, lower quality to cover more ground with less storage
• Trail inspection — review a teammate's movement history directly on the map with new tools for expanding and analyzing trails

Network Control:
See the real-time network status of every teammate and every paired Somewear Node or Global Hotspot. Administrators can manage teammate devices remotely — update settings, push changes, and respond to connectivity issues without needing the hardware in hand.

Also in this release:
UI improvements across the app, refined Workspace management, and a more consistent visual experience throughout.

### 3.6.0 — 2026-02-04

iOS now supports GovCloud and on-premises deployments.

- Sign in or sign up by scanning a workspace QR code - team members can generate these codes in-app or on the web app to quickly onboard new users to the correct server environment.

### 3.5.0 — 2025-12-05

Rotate your mesh keys to enhance network security, and web admins can control radio channels.

- Admins can rotate the mesh key to improve network security - all devices will adopt the new key while you track adoption. operators can check the Key Phrase to quickly verify everyone is using on the same secure channel. 

You should know, the traffic key itself is *never* transmitted over any network; it is securely derived on each device.

- Administrators can manage which Radio Channels are available. Removing or selecting different regional channels will affect which channels are available in your hardware settings.

- Fixed occasional device resets that would occur if changing settings rapidly.

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## Related topics

[somewear](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/somewear) · [somewear labs](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/somewear-labs) · [gotenna](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/gotenna) · [gotenna pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/gotenna-pro)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-05.*