Amazon to buy Apple’s stake in Globalstar as it scales satellite plans tied to Project Kuiper successor effort

Amazon is deepening its satellite communications push, agreeing to acquire Apple’s 20% stake in Globalstar as part of a wider $11.6 billion satellite deal tied to its Project Leo plans, according to a report citing the company’s latest moves. The transaction would bring Amazon closer to controlling access to satellite-delivered connectivity through Globalstar, a network operator that provides service directly to customers and partners across wireless, aviation, maritime, and other use cases.

The reported satellite agreement is positioned as an intermediate step in Amazon’s attempt to close the gap between where satellite services stand today and where demand for ubiquitous connectivity could grow. Amazon’s Project Leo is described as a key driver of that strategy, reflecting the company’s attempt to pair network infrastructure with applications that can reach customers regardless of location.

Alongside the satellite development, Amazon also indicated continued emphasis on robotics, an area it has been investing in for years through warehouse automation and delivery-technology initiatives. In the same coverage, the company’s actions were framed against a broader market backdrop in which some investors are weighing Amazon’s near-term valuation relative to its longer-term buildout costs.

Amazon’s satellite ambitions matter because satellite communications do not just compete on price and coverage, they also depend on timing, capacity, and the ability to integrate with terrestrial networks. Globalstar, as an operator with an existing footprint, is often viewed by investors as a platform that could reduce execution risk compared with purely starting from scratch. By acquiring Apple’s portion, Amazon would consolidate ownership and potentially streamline decision-making across the network’s commercialization roadmap.

Amazon’s Project Leo component, as described in the reporting, ties the satellite strategy to a specific, named program. While the announcement in the article indicates the deal is linked to that effort, the company did not, in the cited coverage, provide enough granular detail for outsiders to confirm schedule, launch cadence, or the full architecture of how Project Leo will interoperate with Globalstar services.

For the robotics angle, Amazon has long treated automation and robotic systems as both a productivity tool for its logistics network and a supplier opportunity if its technology can be packaged for other operators. Still, the Yahoo Finance coverage did not provide specific details in the excerpt about new robotics contracts, deployment targets, or robot models associated with this particular update, leaving the scope of the “expanded robotics investments” statement unclear.

From a market perspective, the combination of satellite infrastructure and robotics investment underscores Amazon’s willingness to fund large capital programs outside its core retail cycle. It also highlights the challenge Amazon and other tech leaders face when markets demand near-term profitability metrics while the business builds long-dated capabilities. The “valuation gap” framing in the coverage suggests investors are still debating how quickly these bets will translate into financial results.

The main caveat is that the cited report does not lay out the full terms of the $11.6 billion agreement, the regulatory timeline for the Globalstar stake purchase, or the precise financial impact on Amazon’s future capital spending. It also does not specify what, exactly, is new in the robotics investment beyond the general direction. That means investors and customers will likely have to wait for additional disclosures from Amazon or relevant filings tied to the transaction and Project Leo milestones.