Qualcomm Reportedly Plans Job Cuts Worldwide After Annual Performance Reviews

Chipmaker Qualcomm is planning job cuts across the company, according to a report that cites an internal memo from CEO Cristiano Amon. The cuts are described as "performance-focused" and will follow the company's annual employee reviews. Qualcomm has not publicly confirmed the report or said how many jobs are affected.

What the memo reportedly says

• The layoffs will follow annual performance reviews. Decisions will also depend on business needs and on the skills the company requires.
• Amon reportedly said Qualcomm has "consistently fallen short of expectations" and that the aim is "a stronger performance culture."
• He is also said to have pointed out that as the business has grown, the skills it needs have changed, and that the right people must be in the right roles.
• Employees are expected to be told from November 2026.

What is not known

• How many jobs: the report could not say, and Qualcomm has given no figure.
• Where: the memo does not name countries or sites, so we do not know which offices or teams are affected, including in India.
• Company comment: Qualcomm did not immediately respond to the report.

For scale, Qualcomm had about 52,000 employees at the end of its 2025 financial year, working in more than 200 locations across 38 countries, according to its annual report. The company has cut jobs before, including a round in 2023.

Why now?

The memo itself speaks about performance and skills, not money. But the cuts come as the smartphone market is under pressure. In the quarter ended 28 June 2026, Qualcomm's revenue fell 4% from a year earlier to about $9.95 billion, and adjusted earnings per share fell 20% to $2.21. Weaker phone demand is a main reason. Its car-chip business grew strongly in the same period but did not make up the gap. Reports link the layoffs to these results, but Qualcomm has not said so.

What it could mean for phone buyers

For now, nothing changes for people who buy phones with Snapdragon chips. Qualcomm has not said any product plans will change, and we should not assume so. We will update this article if the company confirms the numbers or says more.