Apple has laid off dozens of employees in its sales team to streamline operations and remove overlapping roles, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. The company aims to enhance customer connections through these adjustments, which impact a limited number of positions amid strong financial performance.
The layoffs affect sales personnel across various levels, including managers and long-serving staff members who have worked at Apple for 20 to 30 years. Apple confirmed the changes in a statement to Gurman, saying, “To connect with even more customers, we are making some changes in our sales team that affect a small number of roles.” The company did not specify the precise count of individuals involved. To support affected employees, Apple is actively recruiting for new sales positions. Laid-off workers have until January 20 to apply for these internal opportunities; failure to secure a role by that date will result in separation from the company accompanied by a severance package.
Affected employees provided insights into the underlying motivations, indicating that the reductions stem primarily from Apple’s strategy to redirect more sales activity toward third-party resellers. This shift allows the company to reduce expenditures on internal staffing, such as salaries, by diminishing reliance on its own sales force. The move targets redundancies created by expanded third-party partnerships, which handle a growing portion of product distribution and sales. Long-tenured employees, including those in managerial positions, represent a significant portion of the cuts, reflecting the company’s effort to optimize its organizational structure for efficiency.
The government sales team, responsible for dealings with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, experienced one of the largest impacts from these layoffs. Details on whether the recent U.S. government shutdown directly influenced this group’s reductions remain unclear. These personnel managed specialized sales interactions with federal agencies, focusing on products and services tailored to government needs.
The timing of the layoffs coincides with Apple’s exceptional financial results. For the quarter ending in September, the company recorded $102.5 billion in revenue, marking a period of robust growth. Projections indicate sales will reach $140 billion for the quarter ending in December, underscoring the company’s sustained market strength despite the internal workforce adjustments.
