Don’t miss our latest stories. Add PC Mag As a preferred source on Google.
Could SpaceX Try to Buy Apple’s Satellite Partner? Elon Musk’s company is among potential suitors for GlobalStar, a new report says.
A week after news broke that GlobalStar was considering selling itself, Bloomberg reported that the company had held preliminary talks with SpaceX. However, other companies may also be interested, and it is possible that Global Star could remain independent, Bloomberg added, citing unnamed sources.
Just weeks after Elon Musk’s company, Boost Mobile’s parent, reached a $17 billion deal to acquire valuable radio spectrum from EchoStar, a merger that would shake up the satellite industry would give SpaceX even more leverage.
SpaceX’s cellular StarLink system is currently competing against GlobalStar in the nascent market of delivering satellite connectivity to everyday smartphones. In 2022, Apple kicked things off by adding GlobalStar to Power Satellite features on Apple’s latest iPhones. This includes helping users in cellular dead zones connect to emergency services and send text messages by tapping into orbiting satellites.
Satellite Texting on iPhone by Globalstar. (Credit: PCMAG)
However, starting this year, SpaceX Cellular is offering its own competing services through the StarLink system, which is currently available on T-Mobile’s network. Importantly, the cellular StarLink service can provide more than just text messaging, but can also transfer data to mobile apps and power video chats. This includes Apple apps.
While Globalstar plans to upgrade the iPhone’s satellite connectivity with a next-generation Constellation that promises increased capabilities, there are signs that Apple may strike a deal with SpaceX. Last week, information stated that SpaceX had “added support to its new satellite designs for the same radio spectrum that Apple uses for the current satellite features of the iPhone.” Three years ago, Elon Musk also stood up to Apple for using SpaceX as the satellite provider for iPhones instead of Globalstar.
Recommended by our editors
An Apple deal with Musk will pave the way for iPhones to get more powerful satellite features over time. SpaceX’s acquisition of Exstar’s radio spectrum promises to upgrade the capabilities of cellular StarLink by up to 20 times, making it comparable to land-based LTE service. Musk has even entertained the idea of competing with mobile carriers.
Globalstar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Others, such as AT&T and Verizon, are investing in companies including AST SpaceMobile and Skylo to help them compete with SpaceX in mobile satellite communications.
Get our best stories!
A smarter, bolder take on the world
By clicking Sign Up, you confirm that you are 16+ years of age and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your membership has been confirmed. Watch your inbox!
About our expert
Michael Kahn
Senior reporter
Experience
I have been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite Internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware and more. I am currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s StarLink satellite Internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also regulatory battles over expanding satellite constellations, battles with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and efforts to expand satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and reached out to remote corners of California to test StarLink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling its personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint Investigation Along with the motherboard
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. Now I’m following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump into the comments with feedback and send me pointers.
Read full bio
