The company committed to cuts in areas that support manufacturing and research and development, according to a new report. July 25, 2013 8:39 AM PDT The BlackBerry Z10 (Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET) The embattled BlackBerry has decided to cut its staff following a disappointing first six months of 2013. BlackBerry has laid off 250 workers at a Waterloo, Ontario product-testing facility, the company confirmed to Bloomberg on Thursday. The jobs were cut in areas that support manufacturing and research and development, according to the BlackBerry spokesperson who confirmed the news to Bloomberg. Related stories Google's cross-platform: No BlackBerry or Windows Phone Moto X always-on voice commands revealed Anticipated BlackBerry A10 makes alleged video debut Apple and Samsung set to continue their duopoly in 2014 BlackBerry A10 gets the leaked-pic treatment BlackBerry's layoffs are just the latest in a string of bad news for the company, which has so far tried unsuccessfully to regain its once-stable footing in the mobile space. BlackBerry 10, the operating system that was supposed to put the company back into play against iOS and Android, has largely fallen flat, and its Z10 touchscreen failed to appeal to consumers to the degree to which it had hoped. Meanwhile, BlackBerry has watched shareholders leave its side in droves. Since the beginning of 2013, BlackBerry shares are down 24 percent to $9.04. Despite the deep cuts, BlackBerry is still a massive company -- it has nearly 13,000 employees.
The company committed to cuts in areas that support manufacturing and research and development, according to a new report.
The BlackBerry Z10
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)
The embattled BlackBerry has decided to cut its staff following a disappointing first six months of 2013.
BlackBerry has laid off 250 workers at a Waterloo, Ontario product-testing facility, the company confirmed to Bloomberg on Thursday. The jobs were cut in areas that support manufacturing and research and development, according to the BlackBerry spokesperson who confirmed the news to Bloomberg.
Related stories
- Google's cross-platform: No BlackBerry or Windows Phone
- Moto X always-on voice commands revealed
- Anticipated BlackBerry A10 makes alleged video debut
- Apple and Samsung set to continue their duopoly in 2014
- BlackBerry A10 gets the leaked-pic treatment
BlackBerry's layoffs are just the latest in a string of bad news for the company, which has so far tried unsuccessfully to regain its once-stable footing in the mobile space. BlackBerry 10, the operating system that was supposed to put the company back into play against iOS and Android, has largely fallen flat, and its Z10 touchscreen failed to appeal to consumers to the degree to which it had hoped.
Meanwhile, BlackBerry has watched shareholders leave its side in droves. Since the beginning of 2013, BlackBerry shares are down 24 percent to $9.04.
Despite the deep cuts, BlackBerry is still a massive company -- it has nearly 13,000 employees.
