Apple cuts roles across Sales teams amid wider tech industry slowdown

Apple has introduced targeted job cuts within its sales division, marking a rare move for the tech giant, which had largely avoided the sweeping layoffs seen across Silicon Valley this year. The development comes as technology companies worldwide continue to tighten budgets, reduce headcount and restructure operations.

According to a Reuters report published on Monday, Apple confirmed it is reducing roles across its sales teams as part of an effort to improve how it engages with customers. The company said the cuts affect a small number of employees and emphasised that hiring continues in other areas. Staff whose positions have been eliminated have been invited to apply for alternative roles within the organisation.

Bloomberg, which first reported the news, said those impacted include account managers who previously handled major business clients, educational institutions and government agencies. The publication also reported that employees at Apple’s briefing centres — venues used for enterprise product demonstrations — were among those affected.

One of the most significant reductions, Bloomberg noted, hit Apple’s government sales team. The unit worked closely with US federal agencies such as the Defence Department and the Justice Department and had already been facing a difficult environment following the 43-day government shutdown and budget cuts introduced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Apple has not disclosed how many employees have been laid off, nor has it detailed where the changes are concentrated.

The move follows a new wave of workforce reductions across major US companies. Recent weeks have seen firms including Verizon, Synopsys and IBM announce fresh job cuts, reflecting slower growth and increasingly cautious spending patterns.

While Apple has so far avoided large-scale layoffs, the latest action signals the growing pressure within the tech sector to streamline operations, enhance efficiency and control costs amid ongoing economic uncertainty.