[NewsPoster]

In recent weeks Apple has been laying off a significant number of recently-hired workers at its retail stores, according to sources in the chain in contact with MacRumors. Most accounts are said to be coming from workers in the UK, but are filtering in from other countries as well. In the US and Canada, Apple is said to be performing long-term cutbacks in the hours granted to part-time staff.

One source claims that at a store in the UK, everyone with less than six months' history was laid off, even a group that had been hired just a month before the cuts and recently finished training. The store has also allegedly put a freeze on further hiring and transfers between locations. At another UK outlet, three training groups have reportedly been laid off during the last week. A store in an unmentioned country is said to have not only gotten rid of recent hires, but actually demoted some long-term workers who had recently been promoted and never saw their increased pay. Regarding the part-time adjustments in North America, hours have been scaled back to zero in some cases; while Apple is said to have promised that back-to-school sales would lead to more hours, the rebound has failed to materialize. At one store the company has supposedly lopped several hundred hours' worth of shift time off as of earlier this month, and moreover restricted vacation time in a bid to keep full-time staff around while limiting the need for part-time people. Why Apple would be cutting back so drastically is uncertain. In any case the company will probably need more help in September and October as it attempts to cope with one or more major product launches, namely a sixth-generation iPhone.

[b9bot]

Have not heard of this. Doesn't sound logical for Apple which is doing so well to have to layoff anyone at this time. Doesn't make any sense at all actually.

[freudling]

Why is Apple laying off employees? The reason is simple. Jobs is gone. Welcome to the new world of Tim Cook and Jobless Apple. It's only a matter of time. I keep saying it and nobody listens. Without Jobs there is no Apple.

[Wiskedjak]

The End is nigh!

[dmwalsh568]

Or maybe it's because the Olympics just ended and the tourist crush has left the island? Nah, must be a sign of the impending Apocalypse...

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Why is Apple laying off employees? The reason is simple. Jobs is gone. Welcome to the new world of Tim Cook and Jobless Apple. It's only a matter of time. I keep saying it and nobody listens. Without Jobs there is no Apple.

What's the reasoning here?

That Apple Stores are no longer a priority?

Or that sales are down?

What?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

What's the reasoning here?
That Apple Stores are no longer a priority?
Or that sales are down?
What?

Nope, they're about to release the iPad Mini, but freudling told them it's gonna suck, so they're getting prepared for the empty stores generated by how much hate it will receive. It's really too bad freudling isn't running Apple.

[freudling]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

Nope, they're about to release the iPad Mini, but freudling told them it's gonna suck, so they're getting prepared for the empty stores generated by how much hate it will receive. It's really too bad freudling isn't running Apple.

It really is too bad. Because if I was, there would have been new iPods last year. The Mac Pro would have been updated twice. All laptops and iMacs would have the Retina display at this point. The iPhone 5 would have been launched last year. New release of iWork. Sales would be through the roof.

Instead, we get spotty, crappy marketing. Fragmented product roll outs. No new iPods last year. Same old iPhone. Increased focus on corporatism like dividends, stock splits, and a gitty CEO when he talks to investors. Less focus on products. More R&D spend. Nothing yet to show for this. In fact, lots of silence and the same old. Meanwhile, other companies are innovating like Samsung and blowing Apple away in the mobile industry.