In January, Google offered all willing employees of the department responsible for developing Android, Chrome and Pixel the opportunity to leave the company on their own initiative – now they have no choice, and “several hundred” employees of the department have been laid off.
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Google confirmed the “job cuts” to The Information and added that it is “focused on becoming more flexible and efficient.” Buyers of Google gadgets and users of its software products are unlikely to feel the effects of the move — no radical changes are expected in these areas.
The Platforms & Devices division covers all versions of Android (including Auto, TV, Wear OS, and XR), the Chrome browser, the ChromeOS platform, and Google Photos and Google One services. The same division is responsible for the Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest devices. The large structural unit, led by Senior Vice President Rick Osterloh, was formed in April 2024 by the merger of the Platforms & Ecosystems and Devices & Services divisions.
By announcing the buyback program, Google is attempting to address criticism that previous waves of layoffs provoked because the company did not give people the opportunity to leave in advance. The company’s current goals are “speed and efficiency” – it sees them as a mandate for further change.