Apple cuts more than 600 jobs after doomed EV venture goes bust

Tech giant Apple is set to lay off over 600 members of staff after shutting down its Apple Car project, according to reports.
The company recently announced it will be stopping its efforts to build an electric vehicle and instead focus its efforts on developing its AI technology.
Apple spent a decade trying to build a product to try and compete with the likes of Tesla.
The 614 employees set to lose their jobs in May worked in and around Santa Clara, near Apple’s California headquarters.
Bloomberg reports that 371 employees worked at an Apple Car-related office in Santa Clara, California while 87 people worked at a secret facility.
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More staff working at other offices also face the chop, the report adds. The layoffs were known about previously, but this is the first time the number of staff let go has been confirmed.
Apple will now focus its efforts on other projects, such as its Vision Pro, it’s been reported. Another reported project involves an artificial intelligence-powered robot for home use.
Apple insider Mark Gurman has said that the company is exploring the us of AI robots for personal use, that can help with chores and other tasks.
He said Apple “has teams investigating a push into personal robotics.”
Gurman added that the device is “an advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around.”
John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy, is said to be leading the project.
Amazon has also looked into doing a similar project in the past with its $1,600 Astro smart home robot. Elon Musk’s Telsa has also developed a similar product called Optimus.
In February, Musk took the bot for a walk around a Tesla factory to show off its abilities.