Amazon on Tuesday announced that it has acquired Globalstar, a telecom satellite service provider. That means that the satellite coverage that Globalstar provided to iPhones and Apple Watches will now fall under Amazon Leo, Amazon’s satellite internet network.
Apple started adding satellite access to the iPhone in 2022 with the iPhone 14 series. It’s not used as a primary method for connectivity; it was introduced as a safety feature for users to contact emergency services when out of cellular range. With satellite connectivity, users can text emergency services as well as family and friends, request roadside assistance, and share their location.
Amazon Senior VP Panos Panay posted on X, stating that, “Apple customers are already connected out of cell range, and they’ll do that with @Amazonleo satellites in the future.”
Will Amazon provide satellite coverage for free?
Free satellite coverage is included with iPhones bought after 2022. When it was introduced, Apple stated that it was a two-year trial run, but then added another year of coverage when the iPhone 15 was introduced in 2023. Then, in September 2025, Apple announced another extension of coverage so that iPhone 14/15 owner will have satellite until September 9, 2026. The iPhone 16 and later and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 have free satellite coverage until September 2028.
Included with Tuesday’s announcement is a statement indicating that Amazon has an agreement with Apple to provide satellite connectivity “for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features.” However, no details are offered on whether the service will continue to be offered for free, or if it will become a subscription service once the free coverage expires.
Amazon also states that later this year, it will deploy its own next-generation direct-to-device satellite system, that “will offer substantially higher spectrum use and efficiency than legacy direct-to-cell systems, which translates into faster speeds and better performance for customers.”
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.