Amazon’s satellite internet initiative has dropped the Project Kuiper moniker and is now simply called “Leo.” This rebranding coincides with a noticeable shift in the company’s strategy, moving away from targeting “unserved or underserved” populations and instead focusing more on attracting major commercial clients.
The satellite project has been under development since 2019, and according to Amazon, Project Kuiper was always intended as a provisional name. The new name, Leo, references the satellites’ placement in low-Earth orbit, commonly abbreviated as “LEO” within the aerospace sector.
Earlier this year, as Amazon prepared to deploy its first Kuiper satellites, the company described the project as an effort to “expand global broadband access,” with an ambitious “mission to deliver fast, affordable broadband” to areas underserved by conventional internet services.
However, as TechCrunch previously reported, Amazon has recently updated its messaging about the service, especially after signing agreements with Airbus and JetBlue, positioning Leo as a more direct competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink.
Amazon did not provide a response to requests for comment.
A snapshot of the main Kuiper FAQ page from late 2024 highlights the earlier “mission” to support those communities at the very beginning. The importance of affordability is emphasized multiple times, with Amazon describing it as a “core principle of Project Kuiper.”
“Amazon has always been dedicated to offering low prices and has significant experience creating popular, budget-friendly devices like the Echo Dot and Fire TV Stick,” reads the archived response to a question about Kuiper’s pricing. “We’re taking a similar approach with Project Kuiper.”
That particular Q&A about pricing has since been removed from the Leo FAQ, and the term “affordability” no longer appears on the page.
The introductory language on the updated FAQ has also changed. It now describes Leo as “Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network, built to deliver fast and dependable internet to customers and communities outside the reach of current networks.”
While the Leo FAQ acknowledges that inadequate connectivity can “create economic barriers for individuals, businesses, and organizations in unserved and underserved regions,” the company is now less explicit about prioritizing those groups as its main audience.
The new Leo website makes it even clearer that the focus is now on residential and business internet services. It highlights features like “smooth video calls, 4K streaming,” and the ability to “meet your entire household’s internet demands,” as well as describing Leo as “[f]lexible, scalable, enterprise-ready.”
The mention of using Leo “even in rural and remote locations” is now a secondary point on the main site, and there is no reference to pricing or affordability.
Nevertheless, on Thursday, Amazon released a flashy video on X to announce the new name. The video features scenes such as a child doing homework on a computer, professional drift racing, paramedics on a remote road, a farmer with a tablet, and a couple dancing in a laundromat. The accompanying caption reads: “New name, same mission.”
