Apple dismissed a number of engineering programme managers (EPMs) from its hardware engineering group over a two-week period in October, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported on 25 October 2026. The move is part of a deliberate push by new CEO John Ternus and chief hardware officer Johny Srouji to reduce the layers of management sitting between engineers and senior leadership.
Apple's hardware-engineering division dismissed a number of EPMs, with approximately six directors among those affected, placing the cuts at a senior level of the organisation.
The affected employees were reportedly given a few weeks to find another position inside Apple, with those who fail to do so facing layoffs later this year.
EPMs coordinate development schedules, manage timelines and organise work across teams. Their removal redistributes those responsibilities across an organisation already being pushed to move faster.
Ternus has also signalled internally that Apple needs to introduce products faster and become more experimental to stay competitive in the AI era. The reported shift would move Apple away from its traditional spring-and-fall release windows towards launches spread across the full calendar year.
Ternus reportedly argued in an internal presentation that Apple should accomplish more with fewer employees.
The hardware cuts are part of a broader series of reductions under the new CEO. More than 200 people were affected in August, including at least 60 in the Vision Group, and dozens of engineering programme managers have since been cut. A California WARN filing covers 147 of those roles, 79 at Apple Park in Cupertino and 68 across two Sunnyvale offices.
On the customer-support side, Apple reportedly considered replacing approximately 5,000 AppleCare support jobs with AI-powered agents, though that plan has reportedly been put on hold.
Source : Bloomberg
