What you’ll want to know
- Google has laid off a whole lot of staff from its Android and Pixel groups on Thursday (April 10).
- The corporate minimize down its employees from its Platform and Gadgets unit, claiming that they are centered on working extra successfully.
- Google’s authentic choice to merge the group’s OS and {hardware} groups was a key set off for these layoffs.
Google laid off a whole lot of staff from the Platforms and Gadgets unit on Thursday, April 10. This comes after the corporate has been pushing a number of staff to take voluntary exits for the previous few months.
A supply with direct information of the scenario informed The Data that individuals working throughout the Android platform, Pixel telephones, and the Chrome browser groups have been impacted by these layoffs.
In a press release to the publication, the tech large mentioned that since they mixed the Android and Pixel groups final yr, they’ve centered on, “changing into extra nimble and working extra successfully.” The Google spokesperson additionally said that these cuts are along with the voluntary exit program the corporate supplied to its staff in January.
This voluntary layoffs program first opened up for U.S. staff in groups that serve Android Auto, Android TV, Put on OS, and the latest Android XR platform, alongside a variety of Google and Chrome merchandise. Nevertheless, in February, the corporate expanded this program to the Folks Operations workforce as nicely.
On the time, a Google spokesperson informed Android Central that “to help our Folks Operations workforce’s revolutionary work forward, we’re opening new roles and providing a voluntary exit program with severance for his or her US-based staff.”
Like Meta and different main tech firms, Google is pivoting a lot of its manpower and sources to concentrate on AI development. Meta, too, has had a number of rounds of layoffs whereas touting the necessity for departments to be extra “environment friendly.”
Google mentioned in Could 2024 that it wanted to concentrate on “transferring sooner” to enhance generative AI improvement for Gemini. It looks like the corporate is slicing sources from different groups in consequence.
Another excuse for these layoffs may very well be that Google merged Android and Chrome underneath one “Platform and gadgets” umbrella, with SVP Rick Osterloh heading this group and the Pixel workforce. This merger might have led to redundancies. The Data states that this division numbered over 20,000 earlier than the buyout provide and layoffs.
As of now, Google’s complete headcount is at 180,000 regardless of shedding 6% (12,000 jobs) of its staff in 2023. This latest batch of layoffs is not as large however ought to nonetheless considerably impression these groups.
Android Central has reached out to Google for extra details about the layoffs and we’ll replace this text as soon as we have now extra data.
