Apple has recently made another round of job cuts in its second reported layoff exercise in less than two months. The cuts have hit a small number of employees working on the company’s Fitness+ service just weeks after Apple cut more than 200 positions in its Vision Pro, Siri and software units in August.
It was also reported by Moneycontrol and India Today that some employees that were working on Apple’s Fitness+ team were laid off last week. The affected employees were in audio aspects of the subscription fitness service, such as Time to Walk and Time to Run. These are guided audio workouts that can be done on the Apple Watch without having to watch videos.
The recent cuts are much smaller than the restructuring announced in August, when Apple reportedly cut more than 200 positions across several teams. That August layoffs hit the company behind the Vision Pro headset as well as Siri and other software groups.
At the time, approximately 100 positions were lost in the Vision Pro organisation, and another 100 jobs were lost to Siri and other software teams, including the Intelligent Systems Experience group.
Apple had confirmed the earlier restructuring but would not specify how many positions were lost. For the company to expand and grow, it said it was realigning teams to get the best user experience. And new positions would be created to add to the jobs, and there would be some layoffs of the existing positions in the company.
The employees affected as a result of the restructuring were given chances to apply for other positions in the company.
These Fitness+ cuts appear to be linked to changes in how Apple plans to develop and release content for the service. There are reports that Apple might reduce the frequency of new audio content, but the existing Time to Walk and Time to Run features are not currently reported to be discontinued. This means nothing in the latest layoffs signals Fitness+ will close today, but they indicate the way Fitness+ is being managed.
Fitness+ is part of Apple’s health and fitness system and is closely connected with the Apple Watch. The service offers guided workouts and other fitness content for subscribers. The reported restructuring comes as Apple is reexamining the way health-related services fit into its general product strategy.
The recent job cuts also come during a period of major restructuring in the world of technology. Major tech companies have been reducing their headcount and focusing on artificial intelligence, new products and other strategic priorities. Apple’s August restructuring was particularly focused on areas where it is trying to reshape its technology roadmap, particularly AI and next-generation devices.
In the Vision Pro division, reports said Apple was largely shutting down a team focused on gaming for the mixed-reality headset and reducing immersive-video operations. At the same time, the Siri organization was undergoing changes connected to Apple’s efforts to rebuild the digital assistant around a new AI architecture.
The second round of cuts therefore adds another layer to Apple’s ongoing workforce and product restructuring. While the number of employees who are affected by the Fitness+ changes may be small, it is a clear indication that even established services are being reassessed as Apple calibrates spending, staffing and product priorities.
The changes and the shifts in jobs at major tech companies for employees and in the technology industry are not surprising but rather the norm. Apple is investing heavily in artificial intelligence, software and new devices and at the same time making staff and changing jobs.
Fitness+ is still operational, and there is nothing to suggest Apple will discontinue it. The biggest change may be in the way that Apple decides on its staff and content strategy for audio programming. And more changes could be made as Apple looks into its health, fitness and technology businesses.
