Amazon to acquire Globalstar for $11.57 billion, expanding satellite internet business

Amazon has announced it will acquire satellite operator Globalstar for $11.57 billion, a move that expands the e-commerce giant's low Earth orbit satellite internet ambitions. The deal gives Amazon's Amazon Leo service direct connectivity to consumer devices and strengthens its position in the competitive satellite internet market. Apple, which previously owned a 20 percent stake in Globalstar, will now purchase satellite services for iPhone and Apple Watch from Amazon Leo under a new agreement between the two technology companies. The collaboration ensures continued support for Apple's satellite features including Emergency SOS, Messages, Find My, and Roadside Assistance via satellite. Amazon said the acquisition will accelerate innovation and expand connectivity options by combining its satellite network with Globalstar's infrastructure and spectrum assets. The deal aims to reach areas where terrestrial deployment is delayed, cost-prohibitive, or vulnerable to disruption. Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, noted that the company's Emergency SOS via satellite service has helped save lives since its launch more than three years ago. 'Apple and Amazon have a long and proven track record of working together through Amazon's core infrastructure services,' Joswiak said. The transaction comes as Amazon seeks to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink in the satellite internet sector. Amazon had been in talks to acquire Globalstar earlier this month, with Apple's stake requiring three-way negotiations that have now concluded successfully.