Apple Lays Off 200 Employees to Pivot Toward AI Glasses

Apple Inc. has eliminated more than 200 positions across its Siri, Vision Pro, and Intelligent Systems Experience software units to prioritize generative AI and new hardware. The layoffs include approximately 100 roles from the Vision Pro organization, where the company is largely shutting down its gaming team and reducing its immersive video unit due to high costs and limited user traction.

This restructuring follows a period of organizational instability, including the 2024 retirement of executive Dan Riccio and the reassignment of Vision Pro architect Mike Rockwell to lead the Siri revamp. Incoming CEO John Ternus, who succeeds Tim Cook on September 1, reportedly signed off on canceling a second-generation Vision Pro headset and a lower-cost Vision Air model after weak reception for the October 2025 refresh.

Apple is now pivoting its wearable strategy toward a smart glasses program, codenamed N50, expected to debut at the 2027 Worldwide Developers Conference. These glasses will focus on cameras, Siri, and Visual Intelligence rather than full augmented reality displays, aiming to compete with Meta Platforms. While the company continues to support the visionOS platform and sells the M5 Vision Pro, it is unlikely to launch another dedicated headset before late 2028.