Google lays off hundreds, impacting Android and Pixel teams

Alphabet’s Google laid off hundreds of employees in its platforms and devices unit, The Information reported on Friday, citing a person with direct knowledge of the situation.

The cuts in the division, which houses the Android platform, Pixel phones and the Chrome browser among other applications, follow Google’s January buyout offers to employees in the unit, the report said.

“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,” a Google spokesperson told The Information.

Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Big Tech players have been redirecting spending towards data centers and AI development, while scaling back investments in other areas of their business.

Facebook-parent Meta laid off about 5% of its “lowest performers” in January while pushing ahead with the expedited hiring of machine learning engineers.

Microsoft also trimmed 650 jobs in its Xbox unit in September. Amazon laid off employees in several units, including communications, while Apple eliminated about 100 roles in its digital services group last year, according to media reports.

Bloomberg in February reported that Google had laid off employees in its cloud division, adding that the round of cuts impacted only a few teams.

In January 2023, Alphabet had announced plans to cut 12,000 jobs, or 6% of its global workforce.

—Anusha Shah and Deborah Sophia, Reuters