Apple Guts Vision Pro Gaming and Immersive Video Teams, Trims Siri Staff


In addition to cutting dozens of Vision Pro employees who worked on features like immersive video and gaming, Apple is laying off people who worked on Siri and AI, reports Bloomberg.

Apple Immersive Video Utility Vision Pro
Apple is “largely shutting down” the Vision Pro team focused on gaming, and it is paring down the team that makes immersive video content. Approximately 100 employees who were part of the Vision Products Group have been laid off, with Apple also cutting 100 people from its ‌Siri‌ and software groups.

Vision Pro employees were told Apple is realigning its priorities based on how customers are using the device, suggesting immersive video has not worked out. Bloomberg says the immersive videos Apple produces can cost millions of dollars to film, and it has not been cost-effective because so few people actively use the device. Apple plans to make a smaller number of videos in-house and rely on third-party 3D content.

On the ‌Siri‌ team, Apple is creating new positions for the shift to ‌Siri‌ AI and prioritizing work on AI features.

The company told Bloomberg that it is overhauling some of its teams to “evolve” its business and deliver a better experience for customers. Affected employees will be able to apply for other positions at Apple.

While we will create new roles as part of this change, it will also impact a limited number of existing roles. We are grateful to these team members for their contributions, and we are committed to supporting them throughout their transition, including opportunities to apply for other roles at Apple.

Despite the cuts to the Vision Products Group, employees were told that the Vision Pro and visionOS operating system are not being eliminated. Apple continues to work on AI smart glasses expected in 2027, but that device will not support 3D gaming or video.

Popular Stories

macOS 27 Beta Hides Trippy Siri ‘Voice Pad’ Interface With 13 Voices

For macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple appears to be working on an immersive new interface for choosing Siri AI’s voice, based on findings in the latest beta. MacRumors forum member “mactracker” has shared what they call a hidden “voice pad” in the macOS 27 beta 4, which was released on Monday. When enabled, the interface replaces the System Settings menu for Siri’s voice options with a nearly…

Siri Settlement Approved: Apple to Pay Owners of Some iPhone Models

In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI’s delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. Apple’s settlement has now received preliminary approval from a judge, according to a July 17 court document. However, there is no settlement website yet, and it may take months before eligible customers can begin submitting …

macOS 27 Beta Reworks Mail’s Compose Window Around Siri AI

For macOS 27 Golden Gate, coming this fall, Apple appears to be testing a new formatting bar for the Mail app’s compose window that promotes Apple Intelligence’s Writing Tools and Siri AI, based on findings in the latest beta. Feature flags discovered by MacRumors forum member “mactracker” – who this week also revealed the hidden Siri “voice pad” interface in beta 4 – show the reworked bar …



Source link