Interesting times at Apple satellite partner, Globalstar

Rumor alert, but as Apple prepares to launch iPhone 15 please place this news in the potentially interesting section of your files: Ousted former Qualcomm CEO, Paul Jacobs, has been hired as the new CEO of Apple’s Emergency SOS by satellite partner, Globalstar.

Something in the air?

This news is interesting for numerous reasons as not only is Jacobs also a board member of Apple processor partner, Arm, but he has previously been described as someone “with a strong relationship (with Apple CEO) Tim Cook.” He’s also son to Irwin Jacobs, who co-founded Qualcomm in the first place.

Prior to his removal from Qualcomm, Jacobs reportedly intended settling that company’s legal dispute with Apple. He reportedly also explored an attempt to take Qualcomm over in 2018, working at that time with Arm and Softbank. That attempt presumably fizzled out, though Jacobs did start a wireless tech company called XCOM Labs the following year.

Who are XCOM Labs?

XCOM Labs was originally described as a tech that gave everyone’s phones the ability to route traffic, like a cell tower, and also acquired yet another company called M87 which created device to device mesh networks.

“Industry dynamics have created an opportunity for our new company XCOM to drive the development of advanced wireless technologies, and we have exciting new ideas to bring to market,” said Jacobs at that time.

A look at the Xcom Labs website today is interesting, as it’s replete with the buzz words of networking tech: Open RAN, next-generation networking tech, extended reality and 5G. The company is into smart industry, entertainment, telemedicine, and immersive experiences.

What Globalstar is saying

A Globalstar press release explains:

 “In conjunction with Dr. Jacobs’ appointment, Globalstar has also entered into a strategic perpetual licensing agreement for exclusive access to certain key XCOM technologies and personnel. The license covers a number of XCOM’s novel technologies for wireless spectrum innovations, including XCOMP, XCOM’s commercially available coordinated multipoint radio system. XCOMP delivers substantial capacity gains and other benefits in dense, complex, challenging wireless environments in sub 7 GHz spectrum. Globalstar also gains exclusive access to XCOM’s peer-to-peer connectivity technologies that could have applications across cellular and satellite devices.”

Matt Grob, Chief Technology Officer of XCOM and former CTO of Qualcomm, has also joined Globalstar as Chief Technology Officer. Peter Black, Chief Scientist, has also taken position there, along with both Tamer Kadous, Vice President of Wireless, and Daaman Hejmadi, Vice President of Engineering.

“We have … a close working relationship with the XCOM team over the last 20 years,” said Globalstar Executive Chairman Jay Monroe. “Some of XCOM’s leaders contributed to the original Globalstar system while at Qualcomm.”

The Apple connection, lots of synchronicity in play

Apple has pledged at least $450 million to the development of its emergency SOS infrastructure, including taking on the costs of satellite hardware. I can’t get over the huge quantity of synchronicity in play here, particularly as Apple’s silicon teams continue their work to build 5G modems.

To my mind, news of the appointment and the technology sharing deals appearing just weeks before the introduction of a new iPhone strongly hints at.. To be fair, it may be noise that indicates nothing in the short-term, though don’t forget Globalstar’s objections to a patent filing by T-Mobile and SpaceX not so long ago.

However, these breadcrumbs mean I am 100% certain Apple, and these partners are plotting an unexpected path.

Have you got ‘wonderlust’?

If last year was ‘Far Out’, this year’s show could go furthur. Though it is quite reasonable to think the full effect of whatever is in play won’t become visible for a year or two yet, presumably with or shortly after Apple’s first 5G modems appear.

Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.