Apple is reportedly laying off nearly 100 employees from its Services division just ahead of its iPhone 16 launch event on September 9.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the layoffs will affect several teams, including those working on the Apple Books app and Apple Bookstore.
The company reportedly notified the affected employees on Tuesday. These workers, who are part of various teams within Senior Vice President Eddy Cue’s services group, have requested anonymity because the news has not been officially announced.
It remains unclear how many employees Apple has in its Services division, which is part of its total workforce of approximately 161,000 full-time employees as of September 30, 2023, according to a Reuters report.
The iPhone maker has been reorganizing its teams as it shifts its focus towards areas like artificial intelligence. Apple Books has reportedly been deprioritized within the company’s services portfolio, although there are still plans for future updates.
This round of layoffs is part of a broader trend of job cuts in the tech industry. In April, Apple laid off more than 600 employees in California, marking its first significant job reductions since the pandemic. Apple also paused work on its high-end Vision headset and canceled a project to create its smartwatch displays earlier this year.
In February, Apple canceled its multibillion-dollar plans to develop an electric car, which signaled a shift towards artificial intelligence programs. Executives indicated that layoffs could be expected for some staff due to this change in focus.
Apple’s electric vehicle project, which initially aimed to create a fully self-driving car, faced many challenges, including shifting goals, staff turnover, and missed deadlines.
