Alphabet subsidiary Google has let go hundreds of staff in its Platforms and Devices division, including those working on Android, Pixel phones, and the Chrome web browser. This is just a few months after the firm launched a voluntary exit program in the same division, as part of an overall and continued restructuring exercise.

The layoffs, initially reported by The Information, are part of a multi-phase effort to restructure the Platforms and Devices division after the 2023 merger of Google's Android and Chrome teams under the guidance of senior executive Rick Osterloh. At the time of the merger, the combined unit had more than 20,000 employees and was charged with spearheading some of Google's most important software and hardware breakthroughs.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the layoffs, saying that the move is intended to improve operational efficiency and responsiveness throughout the division. "Since combining the Platforms and Devices teams last year, we've been working on becoming more agile and running more efficiently. This has involved making some job cuts in addition to the voluntary exit program we announced in January," the spokesperson said.

In spite of the layoffs that occurred recently, Google asserted that recruiting is ongoing across most teams in the U.S. and worldwide, which could mean that although restructuring processes are in motion, the firm remains committed to strategic recruiting.

Earlier this year, Google introduced a voluntary departure program aimed at workers within the Android, Pixel, and Chrome groups. The program was intended for employees who might not fit the new purposes of the revamped unit or who were having difficulty with the hybrid work model required by the company. What is significant is that this program was not extended to employees from Search or artificial intelligence (AI), which continue to be high on Google's list of priorities.

While the voluntary program had been an option for some employees, the most recent layoffs seem to affect a larger portion of the workforce, indicating that the requirement for headcount reduction extended beyond those who had chosen to take voluntary departures.

These cuts are part of a broader wave of layoffs at Google, which started in earnest in 2023 when the company let go of about 6% of its worldwide employees—about 12,000 jobs. While smaller-scale reductions have followed, Google's total employee count has hovered at around 180,000 workers.

In February, Bloomberg also indicated that Google had cut jobs in its cloud unit, but those layoffs were confined to certain teams.

The most recent reductions are an extension of the tech giant's efforts to make operations leaner and realign resources with changing business priorities. With AI advancements, changing product strategies, and hybrid work patterns redefining the tech sector, Google's restructuring initiatives demonstrate the difficulties even the biggest corporations have in adjusting to a rapidly evolving industry.