Google lays off hundreds in Android, Pixel, Chrome group amid restructuring

Google layoffs are part of a restructuring from last year when the tech giant merged its Android and Chrome teams under Pixel

Alphabet’s Google has laid off hundreds of employees from its Platforms and Devices division, which oversees key products including Android software, Pixel smartphones, and the Chrome browser, according to a report by The Information. The layoffs follow a voluntary exit programme offered to employees in January.

 

The move is part of an ongoing restructuring effort that began last year, when Google merged its Android and Chrome teams under the Pixel and Devices group, led by company executive Rick Osterloh. At the time of the merger, the combined unit had more than 20,000 employees.

 

Layoffs are part of Google’s broader restructuring push

 

A Google spokesperson confirmed the layoffs to The Information, stating that the restructuring is aimed at enhancing efficiency and agility within the Platforms and Devices team.

 

“Since combining the Platforms and Devices teams last year, we’ve focused on becoming more nimble and operating more effectively. This included making some job reductions in addition to the voluntary exit programme that we offered in January,” the spokesperson said. However, the company also noted that hiring continues in the US and globally.

 

The latest round of job cuts follows Google’s broader workforce reduction in 2023, when the company laid off approximately 6 per cent of its global staff. Although there have been further job cuts since then, Google’s total headcount remains around 180,000 employees.  ALSO READ | AI advances and layoffs: Is the white-collar job market shrinking?

 

Google launched a voluntary exit programme for Android, Pixel, Chrome teams

Earlier this year, Google introduced a voluntary exit programme for US employees working on Android, Pixel, and Chrome projects. The initiative was aimed at employees who may not align with the new direction of the merged division or who found hybrid work policies challenging. Notably, teams focused on Search and artificial intelligence (AI) were not included in the programme.

 

In February, Bloomberg reported that Google had also cut jobs within its cloud division, although the impact was limited to a few teams.