Apple to Invest up to $1.5 Bln in Globalstar for Satellite Coverage Expansion

 30 October 2024, US, New York: The Apple store is pictured on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. (dpa)
30 October 2024, US, New York: The Apple store is pictured on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. (dpa)
TT
20

Apple to Invest up to $1.5 Bln in Globalstar for Satellite Coverage Expansion

 30 October 2024, US, New York: The Apple store is pictured on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. (dpa)
30 October 2024, US, New York: The Apple store is pictured on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. (dpa)

Apple will invest up to $1.5 billion in Globalstar to fund the expansion of its iPhone communication services, the satellite provider said in a regulatory filing on Friday.

Shares of Globalstar jumped over 30%, while Apple was down around 1.4% a day after it forecast tepid quarterly revenue growth.

Under the funding agreement, Apple will commit $1.1 billion in cash and also purchase 20% equity in Globalstar for $400 million. The satellite company said it will use a portion of the funds to pay down debt.

The move is another in a line of partnerships between space firms and mobile service providers looking to provide satellite-based connectivity to customers in regions with limited network access.

Globalstar also said it will allocate 85% of its network capacity to Apple. The deal is expected to close on Tuesday.

The iPhone maker partnered with Globalstar in 2022 for a feature that would allow Apple users to send emergency messages from remote areas.



Nintendo Switch 2 Smashes Record as Company’s Fastest-Selling Console 

A staff member holds a Nintendo Switch 2 game console as Nintendo starts selling the new consoles globally, at an electronics store in Tokyo, Japan June 5, 2025. (Reuters)
A staff member holds a Nintendo Switch 2 game console as Nintendo starts selling the new consoles globally, at an electronics store in Tokyo, Japan June 5, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20

Nintendo Switch 2 Smashes Record as Company’s Fastest-Selling Console 

A staff member holds a Nintendo Switch 2 game console as Nintendo starts selling the new consoles globally, at an electronics store in Tokyo, Japan June 5, 2025. (Reuters)
A staff member holds a Nintendo Switch 2 game console as Nintendo starts selling the new consoles globally, at an electronics store in Tokyo, Japan June 5, 2025. (Reuters)

Japan's Nintendo said on Wednesday it had sold more than 3.5 million Switch 2 units in the first four days after its launch, making the console the company's fastest-selling gaming device to date.

Last month, the Kyoto-based company forecast Switch 2 sales would reach 15 million during the current financial year ending next March.

"Fans around the world are showing their enthusiasm for Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded way to play at home and on the go," Nintendo of America President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Bowser said in a statement.

Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch devices since it was first launched in 2017, creating a games juggernaut with titles including "The Legend of Zelda" and COVID-19 pandemic breakout hit "Animal Crossing: New Horizons".

The more powerful second-generation version, which went on sale on June 5, bears many similarities with its predecessor, but offers a larger screen and improved graphics. It is sold with titles including "Mario Kart World".