Apple Reorganizes Vision Pro Workforce While Continuing Headset Development

Apple recently laid off approximately 100 staff members working on the Vision Pro headset, according to reports from Bloomberg. The workforce reduction included largely shutting down the spatial gaming team and downsizing the immersive video team. Additional cuts affected personnel working on headset security, spatial audio engineering, spatial Siri integration, and visionOS itself.

When asked about the layoffs, Apple provided an official statement to Bloomberg. The company acknowledged that while new roles will be created as part of the change, a limited number of existing roles are impacted. Apple expressed gratitude to the departing team members and stated a commitment to supporting them through the transition, including assisting them in applying for other roles within the company.

Despite the restructuring and the shutdown of the spatial gaming unit, reports clarify that Apple is not exiting the virtual and mixed reality space. Executives told staff that Vision Pro headsets and the visionOS operating system are here to stay. The spatial gaming unit was scaled back primarily because the device is rarely used for gaming in practice. Only a tiny fraction of virtual reality games are available natively on visionOS, and the PlayStation VR2 controller add-on has seen minimal uptake among owners.

Similarly, reductions in the immersive video team stem from the extreme cost of production relative to the active user base. Producing individual episodes can cost millions of dollars, while third-party creators now utilize alternative tools to build out content ecosystems independently. Meanwhile, development continues on a slimmer and lighter headset intended to succeed the current model.