Apple is laying off over 600 employees in California in its first major post-pandemic layoffs as part of a broader restructuring of the tech industry.
The iPhone maker informed 614 employees across multiple locations on March 28 that their jobs would be terminated, with layoffs set to take effect on May 27, according to a filing with local authorities.
Employees were let go from eight offices in Santa Clara, as reported under the state’s WARN Act, although it is not specified which departments or projects they were working on.
In February, Apple scrapped its billion-dollar electric vehicle production plan and shifted focus to artificial intelligence programs, leading to expectations of layoffs.
Apple’s electric vehicle project aimed to create a self-driving car, but frequent changes in plans, employee turnover, and missed deadlines hindered the company from delivering a viable product. The sudden termination of the project caught employees off guard, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Apple has yet to respond to requests for comments.
While other tech companies have downsized in the past two years, Apple had been an exception, but as growth slows down, companies are now focusing on cost-cutting measures.
According to recent filings, Apple has approximately 161,000 full-time employees.
Amazon, Electronic Arts, Sony, Cisco Systems, and Snap are among the tech companies that have recently announced layoffs as they adjust to changing market conditions.
Source: www.theguardian.com
