While there is no suggestion AI is being used to replace jobs at Books, it is safe to say Apple is pivoting its attention towards AI, and Books, always a sideshow, has just become even more a sideshow than before.
About 100 jobs are to go at Apple, a company with a reputation for keeping employees on, and Books is one of the service areas affected.
That’s per a report in Bloomberg that says other “Services” sectors are also impacted. Its the second round of Apple layoffs this year, although the first to affect Books.
Per a summary by Kate Irwin at PC Mag citing a report in Bloomberg, “While Apple News continues to be important to the company, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans, Apple Books isn’t and is not being viewed as a critical offering at the moment. The Books app will still be updated in the future, however.“
As Irwin notes, Apple is AI focussed this year – no surprises there – so while there is no suggestion AI is being used to replace jobs at Books, it is safe to say Apple is pivoting its attention towards AI, and Books, always a sideshow, has just become even more a sideshow than before.
Authors and publishers are unlikely to see any difference in their sales from Apple at the consumer end, but clearly Apple employed these people in Books for a reason and, absent a replace-with-AI strategy, it’s safe to say that for authors, publishers and distributors, these changes will be noticed over time in slower response times and less promotional opportunities.
Read more at PC Mag.
Read more at Bloomberg.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
