Amazon buys Apple’s satellite connectivity partner

Today Amazon has announced that it’s acquiring Globalstar, which is the company that enables Apple’s satellite connectivity features. Basically, Globalstar provides the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation that iPhones and Apple Watches connect to when they’re outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, and Apple uses up most of Globalstar’s network capacity.

Amazon wants to use Globalstar’s satellites to add direct-to-device services to future generations of its LEO network. Globalstar’s satellites will expand the Amazon Leo (Amazon Leo is Amazon’s LEO satellite company, hence the different spelling) constellation and will let Amazon “help mobile network operators extend voice, text, and data services to customers beyond the reach of terrestrial networks”, the official press release states. Of course, Amazon will offer carriers this “help” for a fee.

Amazon has also signed an agreement with Apple which will see Amazon Leo continue the service that Globalstar has provided, so there will be no connectivity issues for iPhone and Apple Watch owners whatsoever. If anything, satellite connectivity on those devices may get even better since they will now presumably have access to the combined Globalstar and Amazon Leo constellations.

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