Apple's 20 percent stake in satellite partner Globalstar has become a sticking point in Amazon's reported bid to acquire the company, according to the Financial Times ($).


Amazon is in talks to buy Globalstar in a deal that would value the satellite telecommunications firm at roughly $9 billion, as part of a broader push to compete with SpaceX's Starlink. But Apple's ownership interest – acquired as part of a $1.5 billion investment in 2024 – has required separate negotiations between the two tech giants, the report says.

Under its existing agreement with Globalstar, Apple has access to 85 percent of the company's satellite network capacity for iPhone features including Emergency SOS, Messages via satellite, and Find My location updates. It's unclear how an Amazon acquisition would affect that arrangement.

Apple has not publicly commented on the talks, and no deal has been finalized. Discussions could still fall apart, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to FT.

Amazon currently has more than 180 satellites in orbit through its own satellite internet program, known as Leo, but that figure is dwarfed by SpaceX's fleet of over 10,000 active satellites. Bloomberg reported in October that Globalstar was exploring a sale and had held early talks with SpaceX.

Apple is working on a series of new satellite connectivity features for the iPhone which will apparently require upgrades to Globalstar's infrastructure. They include Apple Maps via satellite, photos in Messages via satellite, connectivity in indoors environments, satellite over 5G, and a satellite API for third-party apps.
This article, "Amazon Reportedly in Talks to Buy Apple Satellite Partner Globalstar" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Vision Pro headset is still failing to see appeal among consumers, according to a new report from the Financial Times.


Data from IDC claims that Apple shipped 390,000 Vision Pro units in 2024. IDC expected Apple to ship just 45,000 new Vision Pro units in the latest quarter of 2025. The Financial Times stressed that this compares to millions of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks sold each quarter. Luxshare, the Vision Pro's assembler, apparently halted production of the headset at the start of 2025.

According to Sensor Tower, Apple has apparently reduced digital advertising spending for the Vision Pro by more than 95% over the past year in key markets including the United States and United Kingdom. The report also noted that Apple did little to expand the device's international rollout in 2025.

Morgan Stanley analysts told the Financial Times that "the cost, form factor and the lack of VisionOS native apps are the reasons why the Vision Pro never sold broadly." Since the device's debut in 2024, critics have highlighted practical shortcomings such as the device's weight, discomfort during extended use, and limited battery life.

Apple is said to be struggling with a platform adoption problem, with an insufficient number of users to motivate developers and insufficient apps to attract users. Apple says around 3,000 apps are designed specifically for Vision Pro, a figure that lags far behind the rapid growth of the iPhone App Store after its launch in 2008. Appfigures notes that this total likely includes niche and industry-specific software.

The challenges facing the Vision Pro reflect broader weakness in the virtual reality market. According to Counterpoint Research, global VR headset shipments declined 14% year on year. Meta still dominates the sector, accounting for around 80% of sales with its Quest headsets, which are significantly cheaper than the Vision Pro but less technologically advanced. Even so, Meta has reportedly scaled back its own marketing spend for VR hardware, suggesting limited consumer momentum across the category.
This article, "Report: Apple Vision Pro Is Still Failing to Catch On" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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