Amazon lays off nearly 250 employees

US tech giant Amazon has reportedly laid off around 250 employees in its devices and services division, as the company aims to streamline operations and align staffing with product priorities.

The company confirmed the job cuts after employees were informed through early-morning emails and text messages, according to multiple reports.

Most of the affected employees were in software development roles, in Amazon's devices and services division, which develops products including Kindle e-readers, Alexa-enabled devices, and other consumer electronics.

The layoffs came just weeks after the company unveiled new Kindle e-readers and tablet computers. The Seattle-based online retailer said it completed “a thorough review structure” and decided to eliminate roles. Amazon launched a new alarm clock and photo frame powered by Alexa, its voice assistant, on Wednesday.

The latest job cuts follow nearly 1,000 job cuts in Amazon's retail division earlier this month. The devices and services division handles a range of consumer technology products, while the retail business focuses on Amazon's online shopping operations.

Amazon was scheduled to report its quarterly financial results on Thursday (US time).

Global tech layoffs are accelerating in 2026, with more than 80,000 jobs already cut in the first quarter and total losses likely to exceed 3 lakh this year, led by companies like Oracle, Amazon, and Meta.

Oracle began a fresh round of layoffs in September as the software giant looks to reduce payroll costs while simultaneously committing tens of billions of dollars to expand data-centre capacity and meet surging demand for artificial intelligence computing, according to reports.

Streaming Giant Netflix trimmed nearly 1000 roles in October, or 6 per cent of its workforce, largely affecting employees in product, technology, legal and human resources teams.

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its workforce, as the tech giant seeks to cut costs while pouring money into artificial intelligence.