Satellite connectivity on Apple iPhones is set for a major upgrade via Amazon's next-generation satellite constellation.

Amazon today announced plans to launch 5,105 low-Earth orbiting satellites, months after it reached an $11.6 billion deal to acquire Globalstar, the satellite communications provider for the iPhone. The proposed constellation will build on top of Globalstar’s existing network of only a few dozen satellites. Amazon envisions powering both voice and mobile data; the current Globalstar system is limited to text messaging and connecting with emergency services.

Satellite-to-phone communication can offer a convenient way for users to stay connected in cellular dead zones, such as rural and remote areas far from traditional cell towers. It's unclear how Amazon might offer and price the satellite connectivity. But the upcoming Leo Direct-to Device (D2D) System is meant to support a wide range of device models with “satellite-capable chipsets built in.”

In the announcement, the company also noted that it will “collaborate with Apple on future satellite services using the expanded network.” As part of the Globalstar deal, Amazon also committed to serving current and future iPhone and Apple Watch models with satellite features.

Amazon adds: “The Leo D2D System will complement existing mobile networks, filling coverage gaps where terrestrial deployment is impractical, cost-prohibitive, or vulnerable to disruption." Another goal is to “partner with mobile network operators to extend mobile connectivity services globally, with satellite deployment beginning in 2028.”

The constellation and its capabilities are bound to rival SpaceX’s own ambitions to power satellite connectivity through Starlink Mobile, which is currently available through T-Mobile. The first-gen Starlink Mobile can already power video calls and data to select mobile apps at speeds of around 4Mbps. SpaceX is also preparing to upgrade its technology with a new 15,000-satellite constellation that promises to deliver speeds up to 150 Mbps. A third company, AST SpaceMobile, is working to deliver satellite-based broadband through partners AT&T and Verizon.

On Friday, Amazon filed its official application for the 5,105-satellite constellation with the Federal Communications Commission. In the US, the satellites will use Globalstar’s radio spectrum in the 1.6/2.4GHz bands, and orbit between 510 km and 580km in altitude.

Globalstar already had plans to upgrade its satellite network with a new C-3 constellation of 48 satellites. The first dozen C-3 are slated to fly up “early to mid-2027,” pending FCC approval. But the Amazon Leo D2D system promises to further upgrade current satellite connectivity with “faster and more reliable mobile data and communications services,” the company told the FCC.

The company’s application also mentions powering in-vehicle connectivity, IoT applications, and serving consumers, enterprises, and government agencies.

In the meantime, Amazon is close to kicking off service for Leo, a dish-based satellite internet service and an alternative to the broadband-focused Starlink. That said, Leo currently has around 390 satellites, while the full first-generation constellation is expected to span 3,232 satellites.