Qualcomm, the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, is laying off 1,258 employees in California, according to recent filings with the California Employment Development Department. The job cuts will affect employees in both San Diego and Santa Clara, and will take effect around Dec. 13.
The layoffs represent about 2.5% of Qualcomm’s global workforce, which totaled about 51,000 employees in September 2022. Qualcomm has not yet released a statement on the layoffs, but the company did note in its last quarterly earnings report that it was expecting workplace reductions and related restructuring charges.
The layoffs come at a time when the semiconductor industry is facing a number of challenges, including a global chip shortage and a slowdown in the demand for smartphones. Qualcomm is not the only semiconductor company that has announced layoffs in recent months. In August, Intel announced that it would be cutting 10,000 jobs, and in September, Micron Technology announced that it would be cutting 10% of its workforce.
The layoffs are likely to have a significant impact on the affected employees and their families. Qualcomm is a major employer in both San Diego and Santa Clara, and the job cuts will add to the growing number of layoffs in the tech industry.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip
Qualcomm also announced in October 2023 that it would be releasing its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. The new chip is expected to be used in many of the flagship smartphones that will be released in 2024.
Agreement with Apple
In September 2023, Qualcomm and Apple reached an agreement to settle their long-running patent dispute. The agreement includes a multi-year chip supply deal between the two companies.
