Apple has laid off dozens of workers throughout its gross sales group to streamline the group and remove overlapping roles., in response to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. “To attach with much more prospects, we’re making some adjustments in our gross sales group that have an effect on a small variety of roles,” the corporate informed Gurman, although it didn’t say how many individuals had been affected. Apple additionally stated that it’s hiring for brand spanking new gross sales roles and that laid off workers can apply for them. They’ve till January 20 to safe a brand new place throughout the firm, or they are going to be let go along with a severance package deal.

Among the affected staff informed Gurman that whereas Apple’s official inner purpose was to streamline its group, the layoffs had been primarily pushed by its plan to shift gross sales extra in the direction of third-party resellers. By counting on third-party channels additional, Apple might decrease prices like its spending for folks’s salaries, particularly because it eradicated longtime workers. They reportedly embody managers and different workers members who’ve been with the corporate for 20 to 30 years.

Apple’s authorities gross sales group, which works with the Protection and Justice departments, was one of many greatest teams affected by the layoffs. It’s not fairly clear if it was a direct impact of the latest US authorities shutdown. As Gurman notes, the layoffs have taken place in the midst of a record-breaking interval. After posting a $102.5 billion income for the quarter ending in September, it’s now on observe to make $140 billion in gross sales for the quarter ending in December.