Apple lays off dozens in global sales division
What's the story
Apple has cut several dozen roles in its global sales division, an unusual move for the company. The layoffs are tied to a restructuring push aimed at streamlining operations and lowering costs for business, education, and government clients. Most of the affected staff were account managers handling major corporate and institutional clients, along with personnel from Apple's briefing centers.
Company response
Restructuring amid rising revenue
Apple has confirmed the restructuring, saying it is making some changes in its sales team that affect a small number of roles. The company added that it is continuing to hire and those affected by these changes can apply for new positions. The exact number of roles impacted by this restructuring has not been disclosed by Apple.
Impact
Layoffs extend across sales organization
The layoffs have been communicated to employees over the past two weeks and span several sales teams. They include account managers serving major businesses, schools, and government agencies as well as those who run Apple's briefing centers for institutional meetings and product demonstrations. The move is especially surprising given Apple's revenue has been growing at its fastest pace in years.
Deadline
Affected employees have until January 20 to find new roles
The employees who were laid off have until January 20, 2025, to find another position within the company or will be terminated with a severance package. Apple is advertising sales roles on its jobs website and told laid-off workers they could apply for them. The latest cuts come after about 20 roles were eliminated from Apple's sales teams in Australia and New Zealand several weeks ago.
Strategy shift
Shift toward 3rd-party resellers and impact on long-term employees
Some affected workers have said the layoffs are part of a shift toward more sales through third-party resellers, or "the channel," which can help lower internal costs like salaries. The cuts also included long-time managers and employees who have been with Apple for 20-30 years. One of the biggest targets of these layoffs was a government sales team that already faced tough conditions after the US government's 43-day shutdown and spending cuts imposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).