Google Cuts Hundreds From Chrome, Android, and Pixel Teams in Ongoing Efficiency Push
Google lays off hundreds of employees from its combined devices unit, citing last year's merger of Android, Chrome, and Pixel teams. The job cuts continue a multi-year trend of annual restructuring and cost reduction at the tech giant.
Google lays off hundreds of employees from its combined Platforms and Devices division, which includes the Chrome browser, Android software, and Pixel smartphone teams. A company spokesperson attributes this latest round of job reductions to the ongoing effort to create a more nimble and effective organization following the merger of these divisions last year.
These involuntary cuts follow a voluntary buyout program that Google offers to the Android and Pixel teams in January. The combined division currently employs over 20,000 people, and the company indicates that not enough staff accepts the initial severance offers to avoid mandatory layoffs.
This wave of redundancies marks the third consecutive year of significant staff reductions at Google as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy. Despite eliminating ten percent of managerial roles at the beginning of 2025 and cutting six percent of its overall workforce in 2023, Google states that it still plans to continue hiring in the US and globally.