Once again, a wave of widespread job cuts is sweeping across various industries, as major tech giants resort to staff layoffs for restructuring or cost-saving purposes. Now, Apple has allegedly instructed 121 employees in San Diego to either relocate to Austin or potentially face termination. 

According to Bloomberg, the tech company has set a deadline until the end of February for employees to decide on the move. Those choosing not to relocate may face termination by April 26. 

Employees who spoke to media revealed that the majority of the 121 workers are unwilling to relocate. The employees, belonging to the Data Operations Annotations team responsible for Siri, were reportedly notified of this development on Wednesday. 

As part of the relocation process, they will integrate with their Texas counterparts within the group. It was also noted that Apple had implemented a return-to-office mandate in March, compelling employees to be present in the office for a minimum of three days per week. 

As reported by Zoë Schiffer in an X post on Platformer, Apple is closely monitoring employee attendance using badge records and will issue warnings to those not complying with the mandated in-office presence. 

In April, Apple reportedly eliminated roles in its corporate retail division, instructing Development and Preservation team members to reapply for their positions or face potential layoffs. 

Despite challenges faced by other major tech companies, such as Meta, Amazon, and Google, Apple managed to avoid widespread layoffs since the previous year. CEO Tim Cook emphasised in a CNBC interview that layoffs would be a "last resort" and were not under consideration at that time. 

Recent financial standings indicate that Apple, once the world's most valuable company, was surpassed by Microsoft last week. While Microsoft achieved a market cap of $2.89 trillion, Apple's valuation slightly decreased to $2.87 trillion. 

Notably, Apple is grappling with declining iPhone demand in China, with its competitor Huawei gaining ground. In response, Apple is reportedly offering discounts of up to $70 on certain iPhones in China, as per Reuters. 

Looking ahead, Apple is set to launch its Apple's Vision Pro headset in February, with analysts anticipating a swift sellout shortly after its release.