Apple’s Vision Pro Gaming Team Just Got Wiped Out, and It’s a Signal, Not a Cost Cut

Apple confirmed Friday that it cut more than 200 jobs across its Vision Pro and Siri teams, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, with about 100 positions eliminated from each as the company shifts toward smart glasses and its rebuilt Siri AI.

An Apple spokesperson confirmed the cuts, while acknowledging the changes “will also impact a limited number of existing roles” even as new positions get created elsewhere.

The cuts came a day after Bloomberg reported another 60 Vision Pro layoffs, bringing the total tied to Apple’s headset efforts to nearly 300 jobs in about 48 hours.

The Gaming Team Wasn’t Trimmed, It Was Shut Down

Apple is “largely shutting down” its Vision Pro team focused specifically on gaming, while also scaling back its Immersive Video production. 

However, Apple says it will still produce “a smaller number of videos in-house” and lean on third parties to fill the gap, per 9to5 Mac. 

That distinction matters: Apple is largely ending its Vision Pro gaming work rather than simply shrinking the team.

Engadget reported that Apple no longer sees the high cost of gaming and immersive content as justified by the small Vision Pro user base, with the headset having “never caught fire” because of its $3,699 price and cumbersome user experience. 

Apple says Vision Pro and visionOS are not being discontinued, with a new headset still possible as early as 2028. For now, its roadmap is shifting toward smart glasses, which do not support gaming or immersive video.

Siri’s Cuts Are About Skills, Not Just Headcount

The Siri-side layoffs tell a different story than the Vision Pro cuts, one about retooling rather than retreat. 

TechCrunch reported that the other 100 eliminated positions affected the team behind the older Siri assistant and Intelligent Systems Experience, which focuses on integrating AI across Apple devices. 

The outlet notes that Siri AI now runs on a revamped technical architecture, changing “the necessary expertise” the team needs. 

This prompts Apple to eliminate roles tied to the old system while creating new ones aligned with the rebuilt platform. 

That makes these layoffs different from a simple AI pivot or cost-cutting. Apple is acknowledging that expertise built around the old Siri architecture may no longer fit the rebuilt system, making some long-standing roles less relevant.

Why This Round of Cuts Reads Differently Than a Typical Reorg

What makes Friday’s disclosure notable is the pattern it confirms. 

Apple shelved a full Vision Pro successor last October to prioritize Meta-style AI glasses, while the executive who led Vision Pro left for OpenAI. 

The cuts therefore reflect a decision Apple made nearly a year ago that is now showing up in its headcount. 

Rather than a sudden reversal, Vision Pro’s decline has unfolded as a deliberate wind-down over nearly a year, as Apple faces higher production costs from the global memory shortage and, just weeks ago, sued OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft. 

Taken together, Friday’s cuts are less about Vision Pro’s failure, which Apple had effectively acknowledged months ago, and more about its org chart finally catching up with its longer-term strategy.

Source: Apple Cuts Jobs in Siri, Vision Pro Immersive Video and Gaming Teams