Amazon Embraces Apple SOS, CEO Restructures Stake in Satellite Communication Mega Deal

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) announced on April 14, 2026 that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire satellite communications provider Globalstar and has simultaneously signed a deal to supply its low-Earth orbit satellite network, Amazon Leo, for Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch satellite services. Under the terms, Globalstar shareholders may elect to receive either cash or Amazon common shares per share, and the transaction is slated to close in 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and achievement of specified satellite performance milestones. In the same month, Douglas Herrington, CEO of Amazon Stores, and Andy Jassy, Amazon’s CEO, each sold shares worth approximately $5 million and $8 million, respectively, under prearranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plans; both executives, however, continue to hold substantial positions.

Market analysts estimate the deal at roughly $11.5 billion (about KRW 15 trillion). With Amazon poised to support Apple’s satellite-based Emergency SOS and messaging functions over the long term, expectations are mounting for accelerated growth of the Amazon Leo business. In anticipation of Amazon’s first-quarter earnings release on April 29, major Wall Street brokerages have raised their price targets, citing improvements in AWS and retail operations alongside momentum from new ventures such as satellite communications.

Built on its core e-commerce platform and AWS cloud services, Amazon has become one of America’s premier big-tech firms. It is now expanding into global internet connectivity and direct-to-device satellite communications through its Amazon Leo low-Earth orbit network. LEO satellite internet—which competes with offerings like SpaceX’s Starlink—is viewed as a next-generation infrastructure poised for multitrillion-dollar growth, particularly in regions beyond terrestrial networks and in maritime and aviation markets, making it a key battleground for global tech giants and telecom operators.