Apple has eliminated dozens of sales roles in a rare layoff. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman discusses the reason behind the cuts with Caroline Hyde on "Bloomberg Tech."

Cupertino

Apple has eliminated dozens of positions within its sales organization, marking a rare instance of layoffs at the company. The affected roles included account executives and managers responsible for partnerships with government agencies, educational institutions, and large enterprises worldwide.

The company stated that the restructuring is intended to streamline operations and reduce internal duplication, with most sales continuing through third-party retailers. Apple clarified that the layoffs are not related to artificial intelligence projects, and affected employees are eligible to apply for other roles within the company.

Apple cuts jobs across its sales organization

In a rare move for the company the tech giant has eliminated dozens of sales roles in an effort to streamline the way it offers its products to businesses schools and governments. For more on this breaking story Mark German joins us. It's not hundreds. We're talking tens of people but still it's notable because we don't often see layoffs at Apple. Yes your point. It was several dozen people across Apple sales division in this sales division. They partner with carriers across the world to sell iPhones but they also partner with enterprises large scale businesses government organizations schools educational institutions major universities across the world to sell products like iPhones iPads Macs and you name it. And over the course of this month there was a big streamlining rounds of layoffs including like I said several dozen people. There were account managers. They are called account executives for specific government agencies for specific university systems. People who partner in pitch companies on buying Apple products. There are these tiny Apple store like fixtures called briefing centers at Apple offices in California and Texas. And the people managing that for the most part were laid off as well. And so this is going to change how Apple sells products to these different organizations. The majority of products are bought through what's called the channel. So third party retailers. And so those products are still going to sell. But quite a bit of a shake up here for Apple sells products and delivers these devices to the major customers. And of course as you said a rare layoff for Apple. Apple did respond to your reporting and saying we're continuing to hire and those employees can apply for new roles Mark. But what do you think this signifies more broadly about how Apple is trying to streamline trying to become more efficient trying to ensure that it doesn't seem like it's a laggard in this age of A.I. Yeah you know I don't think this has much to do with A.I. I think this has to do with cutting roles internally to lower costs because they realize most of these sales are happening from the channel and there's a lot of duplicate efforts internally with the channel. So the third party retailers. So I think it's just one of your classic layoffs to to create more efficiency and cost cutting rather than having much to do with artificial intelligence. In terms of layoffs related to A.I. at Apple I guess the only thing you've seen related to A.I. from Apple that has to touch a layoff was the self-driving car project job cuts of a thousand people in the beginning of 2024. And that was actually to do more A.I. rather because of A.I. So they moved a lot of those folks over to the generative A.I. division. But I haven't seen any job cuts at Apple to date because of A.I. That doesn't mean they're not going to happen. But so far they haven't.

The death toll from the inferno that engulfed a high-rise apartment complex in Hong Kong has surpassed 100. The figure is expected to rise further as rescue and clearing crews search the charred buildings for survivors.

Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong mourns victims of deadly fire in housing towers

Hong Kong firefighters found dozens more bodies Friday during an intensive apartment-by-apartment search of a high-rise tower complex, after a massive fire engulfed seven of its eight buildings. The death toll in one of the city's deadliest blazes is now at least 128.

Tai Po District

Death toll climbs as firefighters contain Hong Kong apartment blaze

U.S. President Donald Trump says Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guard members shot in Washington, has died and the other, Andrew Wolfe, is fighting for his life. The suspect in the shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is in 'serious condition.'

Washington

Trump says one National Guardsman has died after Washington shooting

Video has emerged of two Palestinian men surrendering to the Israeli military with their hands up, before being shot dead in Jenin.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Two unarmed Palestinians killed in Jenin by Israeli military

Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe were wounded in a shooting that the FBI is investigating as ‘terrorism’.

National Guard members shot in Washington, DC, attack identified

The Russian president reiterated his maximalist demands over occupied areas of Ukraine, and insisted Moscow has no plans of slowing down its full-scale invasion or even negotiating with Kyiv.

Kyiv

Putin demands Kyiv withdraw from Eastern Ukraine

The suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members led a team in the Afghanistan war and worked with U.S. and British forces, according to a former Afghan commando colleague. A DHS official says he was granted asylum earlier this year on humanitarian grounds.

West Virginia

Suspect in National Guard shooting granted asylum earlier this year

Firefighting and rescue missions continued into Thursday for a second day after a massive fire broke out in Hong Kong, gripping a complex of seven high-rise residential buildings. At least 55 people were killed and dozens more were injured in what is the worst fire to hit the territory in decades.

Death toll rises to 55 as blaze rips through Hong Kong tower complex

A Peruvian court on Wednesday (November 26) sentenced former President Martin Vizcarra to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of taking bribes years before he took office, adding to a list of former leaders jailed for corruption.

Lima

Peru sentences ex-President Vizcarra to prison for corruption

Two National Guard members were shot dead near the White House in Washington D.C. A suspect was taken to hospital with injuries related to a gunshot.

Two National Guardsmen in critical condition after Washington shooting

A suspect is in custody and the scene is secured after a shooting mere blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C., police said Wednesday. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said two National Guardsmen had been shot.

Suspect in custody after National Guardsmen shot in Washington, D.C.

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a failed coup, after he exhausted all appeals.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's Bolsonaro begins 27-year jail term for coup bid

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 25) ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin a prison sentence of more than 27 years for plotting a coup in 2022, according to a court document.

Brasília

Brazil's Bolsonaro to start 27-year prison sentence for coup plot

President Trump says only a few "points of disagreement" remain on a possible deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The president says he will meet with the leaders of both countries only when the deal is in its final stages.

Trump optimistic on Russia-Ukraine peace deal despite recent strikes

The FBI has launched an inquiry into six Democratic lawmakers after President Trump accused them of “seditious behavior” for appearing in a video encouraging U.S. service members to refuse unlawful orders.

FBI probes Democrats over video urging troops to refuse illegal orders

President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by designating the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. But the entity that the U.S. government alleges is led by Maduro is not a cartel per se.

Caracas

U.S. labels Maduro-tied Cartel de los Soles as terror organization

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said late on Monday (November 24) that his paramilitaries would immediately enter into a three-month humanitarian truce in its conflict with the country's armed forces.

Khartoum

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into ceasefire

A U.S. official tells CBS News that Ukraine has agreed to a peace proposal brokered by the Trump administration, but some details still need to be sorted out. CBS News' Holly Williams reports.

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine agrees to peace proposal with Russia, U.S. official says

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization to distribute aid in Gaza, said on Monday (November 24) it was ending its operations after months of criticism over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach GHF hubs.

Divisive U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid group ends operations

Darfur

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into a ceasefire

Chauncey Billups, who was serving as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers until his suspension, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to alleged rigged high-stakes poker games.

Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to charges

The Kremlin on Monday (November 24) said that a European counter-proposal to a U.S. 28-point peace plan for Ukraine was not constructive and that it simply did not work for Moscow.

Moscow

Kremlin rejects revised European peace plan to end war in Ukraine

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney who secured their indictments, was unlawfully appointed to the role.

Cases against James Comey, Letitia James dismissed

At least 90 people have died in a week of torrential rain, flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam, authorities said. Popular tourist areas have been heavily hit, with parts of Nha Trang submerged and deadly landslides cutting off roads near Da Lat.

Nha Trang

Vietnam flooding kills at least 90

The Trump Administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela as the Air Force conducted a simulated nighttime attack along the country's coast. Charlie D'Agata has the latest.

Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela with nighttime Air Force attack

Israel killed Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff of militant group Hezbollah, in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike

While Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange daily drone fire, an updated peace framework is being worked out in Geneva between Ukraine, the US and European partners.

Ukraine upholds red lines as Geneva peace talks continue

Álvaro García Ortiz's decision came less than a week after he received a two-year suspension and a fine for disclosing private information about the partner of an opposition politician.

Madrid

Spain's attorney general resigns after conviction over data leak

U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has been disbanded with eight months remaining in its mandate, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor has told Reuters that the cost-cutting body now "doesn't exist".

DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter

Al-Burhan rejected a new truce proposal from US envoy as the “worst yet”, accusing the Quad mediators of bias due to the UAE’s involvement.

Breakdown