Apple is cutting Vision Pro jobs as smart glasses move up the priority list

Apple is reducing its workforce by over 200 employees in teams handling Vision Pro, Siri, and AI software, as the company refocuses on its key hardware and software projects, according to Bloomberg. A significant portion of the cuts, around 100 jobs, are targeting the team behind the Vision Pro headset, which includes staff working on gaming and immersive video content. Additionally, Siri and the Intelligent Systems Experience team, involved in Apple's growing AI initiatives, are also experiencing job reductions.

This restructuring comes amid indications that Apple may be scaling back some of its initial plans for the Vision Pro headset. Earlier reports suggest that at least 60 employees tied to Apple's VR efforts have already lost their jobs. Bloomberg's latest report indicates that the number of affected Vision Pro positions could be closer to 100.

The Vision Pro's expensive immersive content, such as 3D video episodes, has reportedly failed to generate the expected boost for the headset. Each episode can cost several million dollars to produce, despite the device reaching a relatively small audience. In response, Apple is cutting back on the amount of such content it produces internally.

Despite these challenges, Apple has not abandoned the Vision Pro. Employees have been informed that the headset and its operating system, visionOS, will continue. Another version of Vision Pro may be released as early as late 2028. Meanwhile, Apple's development of smart glasses, internally known as N50, is gaining attention as one of the company's priorities.

The first pair of smart glasses could be unveiled at WWDC 2027 and launched later that year. However, the development process has been prolonged, partially due to Apple's ongoing efforts to address privacy concerns associated with the cameras on smart glasses.

In a separate development, YouTube Premium prices are increasing in several countries, with Singapore seeing a notable rise. The Straits Times reports that an individual subscription is increasing from S$13.98 to S$15.98 per month, while the family plan rises from S$27.98 to S$31.98. New subscribers will have to pay the higher rates, while existing members will see the price changes take effect after at least 30 days.

Additionally, Adobe has expanded the capabilities of its Firefly AI tool to create music, speech, and sound effects, providing creators with new options for producing content within Adobe's AI workspace.