Apple may have largely steered clear of the layoff trend that has gripped the tech industry in 2026, but that appears to be changing. According to AppleInsider, a source revealed to them that Apple has initiated layoffs affecting the vast majority of the team responsible for VR development, marking a shocking turn of events for a product segment that Apple once seemed keen to reinvent. The company reportedly let go of 60 employees who worked in association with the Apple Vision Group, where most of the company’s VR offerings came to life. New CEO John Ternus is expected to put the category “on ice” for now.
On the technology front, the Apple VR layoffs may deal a resounding blow to tech enthusiasts who may not appreciate Apple retreating on products and categories that they have been looking forward to, even if the step back is temporary. On the human front, however, employees affected by the cuts are likely disappointed by the retreat in their employment status and the changes they have been subjected to in the months leading up to the cuts.
The Apple VR Layoffs Have Not Been Confirmed by the iPhone Maker
Some might have seen the decision coming from a mile away, considering how other VR products have fared in recent years and the lukewarm reception the Apple Vision Pro received. On the other hand, the VR and visionOS advancements at Apple were expected to unlock the door to Apple’s own smart glasses as its latest offering to rival Meta, and the fate of this potential product remains unclear. Reports suggest that the internal team will continue to work on bringing the glasses to reality
Analysts and consumers who watch Apple closely may have expected the layoffs in the VR division, given months of reports indicating ongoing operational changes. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a trusted and respected voice on such internal happenings, had previously indicated that the company had broken up the Vision Products Group more than a year ago to split the workers up “from a single entity that combined Vision hardware and software” to other areas of Apple operations.
The former leader of VPG also retired in 2024, and leadership of the division was then shifted to Apple’s Head of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, who eventually rose to become CEO. A shift in leadership comes with changes to organizational prioritization, and with the experience he gained while overseeing the division, it is apparent that the focus of the department was no longer seen as central to Apple’s immediate goals. It is likely that the decision to turn to layoffs wasn’t one that was made abruptly, as the organization appears to have been building up to it for a while now.
For the Most Part, Apple Can be Credited for Avoiding Mass Layoffs
Layoff announcements are never easy to make peace with, whether they affect a handful of employees or a department full of them. Those hit by Apple’s 2026 layoffs are unlikely to see the silver lining in this story just yet, and that is a reasonable reaction. While we await confirmation and additional details on the job cuts, it is important to recognize that Apple is one prominent tech company that doesn’t often find itself getting caught for abruptly eliminating large groups of employees. Even as the company has struggled to find its footing with AI, downsizing to accommodate investments in a hyper-advanced Siri has not resulted in a desire to eliminate half of its workers.
This doesn’t mean the company never cuts costs or has never eliminated a number of employees. Last year, the company conducted a small round of layoffs in its sales division and in 2024, the company’s decision to shut down its car project reportedly led to the elimination of 700 employees. Apple was also accused of abruptly closing a store that was the first of its kind to unionize in the US, and the move drew considerable criticism. Looking back at these reports, perhaps the credit cannot be awarded as easily, but the scale of the cuts at companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle do show Apple in a more positive light.
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