Amazon Acquires Apple Satellite Service, Executives Quietly Sell Shares

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) announced on April 14 that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire satellite communications provider Globalstar in a transaction valued at approximately $11.6 billion (roughly ₩16 trillion) in cash and stock, with closing targeted for 2027.

Through this acquisition, Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network, Amazon Leo, will integrate Globalstar’s satellite operations personnel, ground infrastructure and spectrum assets—significantly bolstering its direct-to-device satellite communications capabilities.

In mid-April, Retail Chief Douglas Herrington and CEO Andy Jassy sold a combined $13 million (about ₩10 billion) of Amazon shares under prearranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, while retaining personal holdings worth several hundred million dollars.

In its Q1 2026 earnings report released April 29, Amazon reported net sales of $181.5 billion and diluted earnings per share of $2.78, delivering double-digit year-over-year growth. The company also guided for second-quarter revenue growth of 16–19%.

Adding to its e-commerce and cloud businesses, Amazon is now making a full-scale push into space-based internet and direct-to-device communications via the Amazon Leo network, positioning itself as a global competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink.

This Globalstar acquisition, along with Amazon’s satellite service partnership with Apple, comes amid rising demand for satellite-based emergency SOS, messaging and location-sharing services—and reflects a broader wave of strategic alliances and M&A activity across big tech, telecommunications and the space industry.