Amazon is reportedly looking to acquire satellite company Globalstar.

The Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the deal, said lengthy talks were taking place, complicated by Apple’s 20 percent stake in Globalstar.

Apple purchased the stake in November 2024 in an equity deal worth around $400 million. It also agreed to give Globalstar $1.1 billion in cash to expand iPhone satellite services. As part of this agreement, Globalstar agreed to allocate 85 percent of its network capacity to Apple.

Late last year, it was reported that Globalstar was exploring the sale of the company, with SpaceX speculated as a prospective buyer. However, neither company confirmed nor denied the reports.

Launched in 1991 as a joint venture of Loral Corporation and Qualcomm, Globalstar's first-generation constellation consists of 48 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, with an additional four satellites in orbit as spares, while its second-generation constellation comprises 24 spacecraft. The company is currently working on a third-generation fleet to support Apple and plans for a larger constellation in the future.

Globalstar provides connectivity services to more than 120 countries.

An Amazon acquisition of Globalstar would strengthen the company’s ambitions to compete with SpaceX’s orbital internet provider, Starlink. No deal has been finalized yet, with discussions ongoing.

Amazon has already entered the satellite internet constellation space with its LEO project, Amazon Leo, originally Project Kuiper. Amazon currently has more than 200 satellites in orbit.

In January, Amazon Leo sought a 24-month extension to its satellite rollout due to launch shortages. The company had agreed to deploy 1,600 satellites by July 2026, half of its planned 3,236 satellite constellation. Failure to do so would risk losing its US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license to operate the network.

Earlier this month, Amazon called on the US FCC to reject SpaceX’s recent million-data-center-satellite proposal.

Amazon described SpaceX’s plans as a “lofty ambition,” and a “speculative placeholder,” yet argued that it “risks real harm.”

SpaceX is seeking to operate a constellation of up to 1 million Starlink satellites. Amazon said such a constellation would likely dim the visibility of stars on the surface of Earth.