Overview
- The Mini 3 Plus adds a color touchscreen, 30‑second voice messages with on‑device transcription, longer texts up to 1,600 characters, and photo sharing via the Garmin Messenger app.
- Garmin is selling two variants now: the Mini 3 Plus at $499.99 with voice and photo features, and the Mini 3 at $449.99 that keeps touchscreen texting, LiveTrack, and SOS but omits voice and photos.
- Core safety functions remain, including two‑way messaging, LiveTrack, and interactive SOS to Garmin Response, which the company says has coordinated more than 18,000 inReach incidents in over 150 countries.
- Garmin cites up to roughly two weeks of battery life in 10‑minute tracking (around 330 hours), with an impact‑resistant build, an IP67 water rating, and a MIL‑STD‑810 claim reported by reviewers.
- Satellite features require an inReach subscription reported at $7.99 to $49.99 per month, with coverage noting Garmin’s broader migration to Iridium Short Burst Data for larger, faster message transfers.