Qualcomm cuts about 1,000 jobs in India, and the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth teams behind its IoT story take the hit
Qualcomm tells investors automotive, IoT and data center will pass half of chip revenue next fiscal year; in Bengaluru it is cutting the RF, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GNSS engineers behind that non-handset business, and the cheap severance says the cuts are not about cost.
Vincent Jiangtwo-minute read
Qualcomm−0.01% — Qualcomm, down 0.01 percent today began handing layoff notices in Bengaluru on November 9, one day after Diwali, to senior engineers with many years at the company 123. Unofficial posts from affected staff and reports from Moneycontrol, Mint and the Economic Times put the India total near 1,000 of roughly 20,000 local employees, about 5-6% of the country workforce 123. Qualcomm has confirmed no number. A second round is reported for January, and California WARN filings are expected within days 23.
The severed terms say cheap, on purpose
The severance formula has leaked consistently: three months' salary, one more month per year of service, and one extra month for signing exit papers within two to three days 12. One engineer laid off on November 9 posted the same terms and a January 31 last working day, writing that his performance that year had been very good and his promotion was pending 4.
Qualcomm has not confirmed any of the package details 1. For a company with a $43.2 billion fiscal 2026 revenue year, paying out roughly five months' salary per affected engineer is a rounding error 5. This is not a margin lever.
The teams cut build the businesses Qualcomm says are its future
The divisions named in Indian reports are radio frequency, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GNSS, the connectivity silicon behind IoT, extending to Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR and Chennai 1. On the November 4 earnings call, IoT revenue was $1.9 billion, up just 4% year on year, while automotive posted its first $2 billion quarter, up 89% 6. Handset revenue fell 26% to $5.14 billion 7. Management told investors non-handset business crosses half of chip revenue in fiscal 2027, with data center exiting at a $7 billion run rate toward $15 billion by fiscal 2029 67.
The segment where Qualcomm is cutting engineers grew 4%, its slowest non-handset line
The teams being cut serve IoT, the slowest-growing non-handset business
Data
| Revenue ($B) | |
|---|---|
| Handset | $5.14B |
| Automotive | $2B |
| IoT | $1.9B |
What shareholders should watch
The stock is priced on the pivot: two hyperscalers, including Amazon−1.20% — Amazon, down 1.20 percent today, make up most of the $5 billion data center forecast, the custom silicon dilutes gross margin, and it takes three points off QCT margin in the December quarter 67. Meanwhile the engineers being cut serve the connectivity businesses growing at 4% 67.
The CEO called the reduction performance-focused; the reported selection of senior engineers and the "business needs" explanation managers gave cut against that 123. If January goes deeper into the same teams, the diversification story narrows to automotive and two data center contracts. Watch the California WARN filings, the January round, and the restructuring charge Qualcomm has not yet booked ahead of December-quarter results.
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