NEW DELHI: Apple Inc recently laid off more than 600 employees in California, the US, a move linked to the company’s decision to discontinue its car project and in-house efforts to build Apple Watch displays.
Both projects were shelved in February 2024. The car project’s cancellation stemmed from executive indecision regarding its direction and mounting cost concerns. Similarly, the smartwatch display programme faced engineering hurdles, supplier challenges, and ultimately proved too expensive to continue. This information comes from WARN notices, or worker adjustment and retraining notification filings, submitted by Apple to the California Employment Development Department.
These filings are required by law when a company conducts mass layoffs. To comply with the regulations, Apple filed eight separate reports, each detailing layoffs at a specific California location. Nearly 87 of the affected employees worked at a facility dedicated to Apple’s next-generation screen development, while others were located for the car project.
The brunt of the layoffs impacted Apple’s main car-related office in Santa Clara, California, where 371 employees were let go. Dozens more working in satellite offices also lost their jobs. However, some members of the car team were reportedly reassigned to other areas within Apple, including artificial intelligence and personal robotics.
It’s important to note that the WARN notices might not capture the full scope of job reductions. Apple likely had engineers working on these projects in other locations, such as Arizona. Historically, layoffs haven’t been a common occurrence at Apple, unlike other tech giants like Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft.
Car, watch display units impacted
The brunt of the layoffs impacted Apple’s main car-related office in Santa Clara, California, where 371 employees were let go. Dozens more working in satellite offices also lost their jobs