John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook as Apple CEO on September 1, is initiating a strategy to accelerate product development cycles. According to reports, the company aims to move away from its traditional spring and fall launch schedules to adopt a more experimental approach. Internal teams are now working under tighter deadlines to release devices more frequently, creating a high-pressure environment.
The company has already begun workforce reductions within its hardware engineering division. Over the past two weeks, Apple dismissed several engineering program managers, including approximately six directors. Affected employees were offered a brief period to secure alternative internal positions, with remaining staff facing potential layoffs later this year.
Apple previously evaluated a plan to eliminate roughly 5,000 AppleCare roles in favor of AI-based support agents, though this initiative was ultimately canceled. While the impact on upcoming product releases remains uncertain, employees anticipate further job cuts in the near future. Staff members note that restructuring the company's product development processes may take years to complete.
