Amazon is making a major move in the satellite communications space, and it could reshape the battle for connectivity in orbit. The company announced plans to acquire Globalstar, a longtime satellite services provider whose technology already powers emergency messaging features on the iPhone. The deal will strengthen Amazon Leo, Amazon’s growing low Earth orbit satellite network, and push the company deeper into the race to connect ordinary phones directly to satellites.
If everything goes according to plan, Amazon Leo will eventually allow mobile devices to connect to satellites for voice calls, texts, and data when cellular networks are unavailable. That means people hiking in remote areas, sailing offshore, or driving through rural regions could still reach emergency services or message loved ones even when traditional towers are nowhere in sight.
There is also a major partnership angle here. Amazon confirmed it has reached an agreement with Apple to continue powering satellite features for supported iPhone and Apple Watch models. These capabilities already include Emergency SOS via satellite, satellite messaging, roadside assistance requests, and location sharing. In the future, those features will run on Amazon Leo’s expanding satellite network.
Panos Panay, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services at Amazon, also confirmed the Apple partnership publicly on social media, writing:
“We’ve also signed an agreement with @Apple to become their primary satellite service provider for iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple customers are already connected out of cell range, and they’ll do that with @Amazonleo satellites in the future.”
For Apple users, the transition may be mostly invisible. The existing satellite features already rely on Globalstar infrastructure, so Amazon stepping in simply means the system will eventually operate on a much larger satellite platform with more capacity and reach.
The long-term goal is direct to device satellite connectivity, often shortened to D2D. Instead of needing a specialized satellite phone, everyday smartphones will be able to communicate directly with orbiting satellites. Amazon says its next generation D2D system is expected to begin launching in 2028 and will support messaging, voice, and mobile data services.
The complete Amazon Leo network is expected to include thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit. Amazon says the system will combine broadband satellite connectivity with mobile device communications, creating a unified network capable of supporting hundreds of millions of devices worldwide.
One person who might not be thrilled about this development is Elon Musk. Musk’s company SpaceX already operates the massive Starlink satellite internet network and has been pushing its own direct to cell satellite technology. Amazon choosing to build its own satellite ecosystem rather than relying on Musk’s infrastructure is the type of competitive move that could easily irritate the outspoken billionaire.
The deal still needs regulatory approval and other closing conditions, and Amazon expects it to finalize in 2027. If everything goes through, Amazon will gain control of Globalstar’s satellite fleet, infrastructure, and valuable mobile satellite spectrum licenses.
For consumers, the takeaway is straightforward. Smartphones are slowly gaining the ability to connect directly to satellites. Amazon clearly wants to be one of the companies making that possible.
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