Apple’s bet on satellite connectivity is about to look even smarter. After taking a major stake in Globalstar in 2023, Apple is now positioned to potentially score a huge return thanks to a newly announced $11.5 billion acquisition agreement between Amazon and Globalstar—an outcome that could also accelerate the future of satellite-based features on iPhone and Apple Watch.
Back in 2023, Apple purchased a 20 percent stake in Globalstar for $400 million. At the same time, Apple committed an additional $1.1 billion in funding to help expand the infrastructure behind satellite connectivity, strengthening the foundation for off-grid communications on iPhone.
That investment has played a key role in powering Apple’s current satellite features. Today, Globalstar supports Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance, helping users reach emergency services when they’re outside cellular and Wi‑Fi coverage. Satellite connectivity also enables location updates through the Find My app, and it allows iPhone users to send messages to personal contacts and first responders when traditional networks aren’t available. These capabilities apply to iPhone 14 and newer models, and they extend to supported Apple Watch devices, including Apple Watch Ultra 3 as noted in the original details.
Now, Amazon has agreed to acquire Globalstar for $11.5 billion, pending regulatory approval. The most eye-catching detail for Apple is what that means for its stake: the deal effectively values Apple’s 20 percent ownership at about $2.3 billion. Compared with the original $400 million purchase price, that represents a gain of roughly 475 percent. The valuation also factors in Apple’s $1.1 billion cash injection, meaning Apple stands to recover its broader investment—and still come out well ahead.
The bigger long-term story, however, isn’t just the financial upside. Amazon and Apple have also entered into a separate agreement that keeps Apple’s satellite services moving forward. Under this arrangement, Amazon will continue supporting iPhone and Apple Watch models that rely on Globalstar’s current and planned low Earth orbit satellite systems, and Apple will collaborate with Amazon on future satellite services that can tap into Amazon Leo’s expanding satellite network.
Amazon says its Leo constellation is expected to grow into “thousands of advanced satellites in low Earth orbit,” with enough capacity to support “hundreds of millions” of endpoints worldwide. If that scale materializes, it could translate into stronger satellite bandwidth and more robust satellite connectivity options for future iPhones and Apple devices—potentially expanding beyond emergency use into more everyday communication scenarios over time.
In short, Apple’s early move into satellite connectivity may now deliver a rare double win: a major return on investment and a clearer runway to broaden satellite features as next-generation low Earth orbit networks expand.
