Google Layoffs Thousands of its Employees

Google has laid off dozens of employees from its hardware and software divisions.

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The layoffs reportedly affected the Pixel smartphone team, Fitbit, Nest and the augmented reality (AR) group.

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The company has not confirmed the number of employees affected.

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The move comes as Google faces a slowdown in advertising revenue due to the lockdown back in 2021.

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Google has also reportedly paused hiring for certain positions.

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The company has said it will continue to invest in hardware, including the Pixel smartphone.

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Google acquired Fitbit in November 2019 for $2.1bn.

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The company has faced criticism over its handling of user data.

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Nest, which makes smart home devices, was acquired by Google in 2014.

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The AR group was responsible for developing Google's ARCore platform.

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Google has been hit by a number of antitrust investigations in recent years.

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The company is also facing a lawsuit from the US Department of Justice over alleged antitrust violations.

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