Apple Cuts Staff in New Round of Layoffs Hitting Fitness+ Service
Apple has launched another round of layoffs, cutting staff from the Apple Fitness+ team following a previous reduction affecting Siri and Vision Pro divisions.
Apple is carrying out another round of layoffs within less than two months of its previous move, as part of the cost-cutting trend recently felt in the global tech industry.
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple laid off a number of employees on the Apple Fitness+ team: the subscription-based fitness service that offers users various workouts and content, competing with services like Peloton. However, at this stage, there is no change in the plan for the continued operation of Fitness+.
The move comes just two months after a previous round of layoffs at Apple, during which more than 200 employees were dismissed. Among other things, the cuts hit teams working on the Siri voice assistant, projects related to Vision Pro glasses, and the artificial intelligence (AI) software engineering department. In that same round, about 100 roles were reported cut in Vision Pro and about 100 additional roles in the AI field. Apple then defined the move as a restructuring of teams alongside the creation of new roles.
The cut in Fitness+ may fit into a broader efficiency and cost-saving move. The service requires ongoing investment in creating new content while simultaneously coping with subscriber churn. Recent reports also reinforce estimates that Apple may in the future integrate Fitness+ into the Health app, which is undergoing an upgrade and currently includes explanatory and instructional videos.
Apple is not alone among tech giants carrying out cuts. As recalled, Oracle laid off tens of thousands of employees, with growing costs associated with AI technology cited among the factors for the move.
