GoKawiilFollowing last month’s announcement that Amazon would acquire Globalstar, the company has now informed the FCC that it will also take over Apple’s 20% stake in the satellite connectivity company. Here are the details.
Amazon promises to keep Globalstar satellite service working for iPhone users
As spotted by PCMag, Amazon has filed an “Application for Consent to Assign and Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations” with the FCC, which states that, as a result of its Globalstar acquisition, the company will also take over Apple’s stake in the company.
In late 2024, an FTC filing showed that Apple would expand its investment in Globalstar to $1.1 billion, up from the $300 million originally tied to the satellite connectivity partnership that powers the Emergency SOS via satellite feature.
Under the terms of the expanded deal, Globalstar committed 85% of its satellite capacity to Apple, which, in turn, agreed to acquire a 20% stake in the company in the form of 400,000 Class B shares.
Now, Amazon has informed the FCC that it plans to take over Apple’s stake as part of the $11.6 billion acquisition of Globalstar, in a second step of the merger process after Amazon first combines with Globalstar through a newly created subsidiary called Grapefruit Acquisition Sub II, LLC.
From the filing:
Grapefruit Acquisition Sub II, LLC will acquire Apple Inc.’s 20% equity and voting interests in Globalstar Licensee LLC immediately following step two of the proposed Transaction.
In the filing, Amazon reaffirms that the deal won’t disrupt Globalstar’s existing work with Apple, while also arguing that the acquisition will enable a broader expansion of its satellite services beyond Apple’s ecosystem:
Further, the proposed combination will enable Amazon to build a next-generation, global D2D network purpose-built for service to smartphones and other mobile devices across multiple carriers and vendors.
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