Tech layoffs: Qualcomm set to cut jobs of hundreds of workers amid strategic shift

Smartphone chipmaker Qualcomm is set to lay off 226 workers in San Diego later this year. According to a notice published under California's WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act this week, the layoffs will take effect during the week of November 12. This news was first reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The layoffs will impact employees across 16 of Qualcomm’s San Diego facilities, including its headquarters, which also hosts the company’s cybersecurity operations. It remains unclear whether members of the cybersecurity team will be affected, as Qualcomm has not provided specific details on this.

According to a report by TechCrunch, a Qualcomm spokesperson said, "Our leading technology and product portfolio has positioned us to execute on our diversification strategy. As part of a normal course of business, we prioritise and align our investments, resources, and talent to ensure we are optimally positioned to take advantage of the unprecedented diversification opportunities in front of us."

This suggests that the company’s decision is part of a larger business strategy aimed at shifting resources to focus on new opportunities.

This round of layoffs comes less than a year after Qualcomm cut over 1,250 jobs. Despite these reductions, the company posted $35.8 billion in revenue for 2023, and its CEO, Cristiano Amon, earned $23.5 million in total compensation last year.