Apple has reportedly started cutting engineering program managers as CEO John Ternus pushes for a leaner organization with fewer layers between engineers and senior leaders. The reductions offer an early, concrete example of how his management philosophy may reshape product development.
According to Bloomberg’s reporting, Apple’s hardware engineering group began dismissing engineering program managers during the past two weeks. The affected employees reportedly include several program managers and roughly six directors, although Apple has not confirmed the number of positions involved.
Why engineering program managers matter
Engineering program managers coordinate schedules, dependencies and communication across the teams building Apple products. They do not simply supervise engineers. Their work helps hardware, software, operations and suppliers reach the same milestones before manufacturing and launch.
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Apple still advertises engineering program management roles in specialized areas, which suggests the function is being reduced or reorganized rather than eliminated throughout the company. Bloomberg’s report identifies the hardware division as the group where the recent dismissals began.
Removing some of those positions could shorten the chain of command and give engineers more direct access to decision-makers. It could also leave fewer people coordinating complicated projects, placing more responsibility on engineering leads. Bloomberg says the affected employees received several weeks to find another Apple position before possible layoffs later this year.
Ternus previously led Apple’s hardware engineering organization. Apple’s official CEO transition announcement highlighted his technical expertise and 25 years at the company. Bloomberg says he had argued internally for slower hiring, greater output from existing teams and less organizational bloat before becoming chief executive.
The cuts extend beyond the small Fitness+ reductions that MacObserver previously described as an early signal under Ternus. Even so, the available evidence does not establish a company-wide layoff target. Apple appears to be making targeted reductions while asking product teams to deliver more frequently, and further changes remain possible.
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