Apple Reportedly Lays Off Some Fitness+ Division Staff Ahead Of Potential 'Major' Changes

• Fitness+ audio staff were among those affected by the recent cuts.
• Apple could reduce the frequency of new audio releases in fitness while exploring deeper Health app integration.
• The early response to Apple’s new iPhones is being watched for signs of demand for its foldable strategy.

Apple Inc. has cut a handful of employees from its Fitness+ division as the company reevaluates the subscription service's future, Bloomberg reported, signaling a potential shift in priorities for the platform.

The layoffs, carried out last week, affected workers involved in the audio side of Fitness+, including content such as the “Time to Walk” and “Time to Run” sessions that users can access through the Apple Watch without watching a video.

AAPL stock declined 0.4% in overnight trading ahead of Monday. Shares gained 1.2% over the past week, a period that included the launch of the new iPhone lineup.

Apple’s Fitness App Strategy

Apple is not eliminating the audio offerings, but Bloomberg reported that new releases are expected to become less frequent. The latest cuts are also being viewed internally as a potential starting point for broader cost reductions and changes to Fitness+ in the coming months and years, according to the report.

Apple has been reevaluating Fitness+ since earlier this year; The service competes with platforms such as Peloton.

One potential direction is a deeper integration of Fitness+ into Apple’s revamped Health app. Apple is already preparing a major redesign of the Health app, including video content that explains health topics and personal benchmarks.

New iPhones Get Early Spotlight

Meanwhile, Apple’s latest iPhone lineup, including the new iPhone Duo, has become a major focus for investors and analysts following its launch. 

The Duo marks Apple’s entry into the foldable smartphone market and is being positioned as an important new form factor rather than a short-lived experiment.

The early reception is therefore being watched closely for signs of demand for the Duo and Apple’s broader iPhone strategy. 

Analysts are also assessing whether the new form factor can create a fresh upgrade cycle for Apple’s most important product, particularly as the company continues to build out Apple Intelligence and AI-enabled features.

Retail View On AAPL

On Stocktwits, the retail sentiment for AAPL dipped over the past week and was ‘bearish’ as of early Monday.

“$AAPL this junk acts inverse of QQQ,” said a trader. “I say junk because to justify the PE this thing needs AI and innovation. Meanwhile it just floats on its commie phones. I’ll stick to freedom phones, Android iOS.”

Year to date, AAPL stock is up 23.3%.

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