Google has laid off hundreds of employees from its platforms and devices unit, according to a report published by The Information on Friday.
This division is responsible for developing the Android operating system, Pixel smartphones, and the Chrome web browser.
The layoffs come just months after Google offered voluntary buyout packages to employees in the same unit in January, suggesting an ongoing effort to streamline operations.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the workforce reduction to The Information.
“Since combining the Platforms and Devices teams last year, we’ve focused on becoming more nimble and operating more effectively and this included making some job reductions in addition to the voluntary exit program that we offered in January,” the spokesperson said.
This latest round of cuts follows similar workforce reductions in Google’s cloud division earlier this year, as reported by Bloomberg in February, though the exact scale of those layoffs remains unclear.
The tech giant has been systematically reducing its workforce since January 2023, when parent company Alphabet announced plans to eliminate 12,000 positions globally, equivalent to approximately 6% of its total workforce.
Industry analysts suggest these ongoing layoffs reflect broader cost-cutting measures across the technology sector as companies adjust to changing market conditions and increasing pressure to improve operational efficiency.
Neither Google nor Alphabet has yet released information about potential severance packages for affected employees or how these cuts might impact product development timelines for Android and Pixel devices.
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