Apple invested $1.5 billion in Globalstar in 2024, taking a 20 percent stake in the company. As part of the agreement, Globalstar agreed to reserve 85 percent of its network capacity for the iPhone maker for satellite-based texting when outside cellular tower coverage.
Bloomberg reported in October that Globalstar was exploring a sale and had held early talks with SpaceX.
Amazon has been pushing forward with its own effort, dubbed Leo, launching the first batch of satellites for its Internet constellation last year.
The company has more than 180 satellites in orbit, but its deployment is dwarfed by the more than 10,000 active satellites operated by SpaceX.
Amazon in February was forced to seek a two-year extension to a July deadline from the Federal Communications Commission for the launch of 1,600 satellites.
Amazon plans to have about 700 satellites in space by the middle of this year but has said that a launch capacity shortage is hampering the build-out of its service, according to regulatory filings.
Amazon has signed deals with JetBlue and Delta for Internet services on flights commencing in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief executive, told investors in February that Leo was part of a suite of “incremental opportunities” that the $2.2 trillion e-commerce group would pursue.
Globalstar reported full-year revenue of $273 million in its latest annual results, a 9 percent increase from 2024. Income from operations was $7.4 million in 2025, after a narrow loss in the year before.
Additional reporting from Rafe Rosner-Uddin and Stephen Morris.
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