Why did Amazon cut jobs in its devices division in October 2025?

Amazon said the cuts were made to operate more efficiently and align its workforce with its product roadmap, according to Mint. The company conducted what it described as a thorough review of its organisational structure before eliminating the roles.

How many jobs did Amazon cut in its devices and services division?

Up to 250 jobs were cut, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters and reported by Mint. Amazon itself described the affected positions only as a small number of roles and did not confirm the figure.

Which roles were most affected by Amazon's devices division layoffs?

Software development positions accounted for most of the affected roles, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters, as reported by Mint.

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Amazon Cuts Up to 250 Jobs in Devices Unit

Invisipilot Team · 2 Nov 2026, 04:30 IST

Written with AI assistance from the cited sources

Amazon eliminated up to 250 roles in its devices and services division on 28 October 2025, with software development positions accounting for most of the cuts, according to Mint citing Reuters. The layoffs came on the same day the company unveiled five new Alexa-powered devices. Amazon said the decision was made to operate more efficiently and align its workforce with its product roadmap. Earlier in October, the company had also cut around 1,000 jobs in its retail division.

Key points

Amazon cut up to 250 jobs in its devices and services division on 28 October, with software development roles making up most of the affected positions, according to Mint citing Reuters.
The layoffs occurred on the same day Amazon unveiled five new Alexa-powered devices, including an alarm clock and a photo frame.
Amazon described the affected positions only as 'a small number of roles' and has not officially confirmed the figure of 250, which comes from a source familiar with the matter.
Earlier in October, Amazon separately cut around 1,000 jobs in its core retail division, according to the Mint report.
Amazon said the cuts were made to 'operate more efficiently and better align with our product roadmap,' without linking them directly to AI investment.
Takeaway: Software developers at large technology firms should note that organisational efficiency reviews can lead to layoffs even during active product launch cycles.

Source: Mint, 1 Nov 2026

What Happened

Amazon cut up to 250 jobs in its devices and services division on 28 October, according to Mint, which cited a Reuters report. The company confirmed the reductions after Reuters made an inquiry but did not publicly disclose an exact headcount. An Amazon spokesperson described the affected positions as "a small number of roles."

Employees were informed through text messages and emails sent early that Wednesday morning, following what the report describes as Amazon's usual practice for notifying staff of job reductions.

The Numbers

The figure of up to 250 affected positions comes from a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters, not from Amazon directly. The company has not confirmed that number. Software development roles accounted for most of the cuts, the source told Reuters. The devices and services division layoffs follow a separate round of approximately 1,000 job cuts in Amazon's core retail division earlier in October, the report says.

Context and Reaction

The timing drew attention because Amazon had announced several new hardware products in the weeks before the layoffs, including new Kindle e-readers, tablet computers, and five Alexa-powered devices — among them an alarm clock and a photo frame — unveiled on the same day as the cuts.

According to a message seen by Reuters, Cherie Robinson, a vice president of human resources in the division, told employees the company had conducted "a thorough review of our structure" before deciding to eliminate roles. Amazon said the decision was taken to help it "operate more efficiently and better align with our product roadmap."

Amazon has not linked the devices division layoffs directly to artificial intelligence investment, nor has it identified which specific teams or project areas were affected.

Why It Matters for Job Seekers

If you work in software development at a large technology company, be aware that restructuring can affect engineering roles even when a division is actively launching new products, as the Mint report illustrates.
If you are an experienced hire targeting Amazon's devices or hardware teams, note that the company has not confirmed whether further cuts in this division are planned, so monitoring official announcements is advisable.
If you are a fresher seeking roles in consumer electronics or smart-home technology, understand that product launches and headcount decisions can move in opposite directions during organisational reviews.
If you are job hunting in the broader technology sector, the back-to-back cuts across Amazon's retail and devices divisions in October suggest that efficiency-driven restructuring can span multiple business units simultaneously.

Audience note: This story affects software developers and technology professionals globally, particularly those employed by or applying to large consumer-electronics and cloud-technology companies.

Frequently asked questions

Why did Amazon cut jobs in its devices division in October 2025?: Amazon said the cuts were made to operate more efficiently and align its workforce with its product roadmap, according to Mint. The company conducted what it described as a thorough review of its organisational structure before eliminating the roles.
How many jobs did Amazon cut in its devices and services division?: Up to 250 jobs were cut, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters and reported by Mint. Amazon itself described the affected positions only as a small number of roles and did not confirm the figure.
Which roles were most affected by Amazon's devices division layoffs?: Software development positions accounted for most of the affected roles, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters, as reported by Mint.