Apple Cuts Jobs: Car and Display Projects Impacted

Apple recently notified the California Department of Employment Development of its decision to lay off over 700 employees. This move may be linked to the cessation of the development of a vehicle project known as “Project Titan,” as well as a reconsideration of whether to proceed with the development of micro-LED displays.

The layoffs are confirmed to affect more than 700 employees in the United States, encompassing teams related to vehicle projects, micro LED technology, and Siri operations. While Apple typically endeavors to reassign affected employees to suitable positions, some workforce adjustments involving layoffs are inevitable.

Rumors had previously circulated that the cancellation of the vehicle project could impact the jobs of over 2,000 employees, including potential layoffs. Apple had also been reported to be considering the production of micro-LED displays for future Apple Watch models, a project later shelished due to production challenges.

As part of its layoff plan, Apple will disband approximately 58 employees from LuxVue, a company specializing in micro-LED technology acquired by Apple in 2014. Additionally, the Siri data operations office in San Diego will be shut down, resulting in the termination of over 120 employees, along with several others involved in the vehicle project.

Due to the scale of the office closures and the significant number of employee layoffs, following the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act in the United States, employers planning to lay off more than 500 employees are required to provide a 60-day notice. This allows for the preparation of transitioning affected employees to new positions.

Apple’s past practices indicate that while it usually seeks to reassign impacted employees to suitable roles, some layoffs as part of workforce adjustments are unavoidable.