Meta lays off Reality Labs employees even with many openings in the division

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Meta laid off an unspecified number of employees within its Reality Labs division, which focuses on hardware and virtual reality. The layoffs impacted teams within its Oculus Studio, a.k.a. virtual reality gaming division, and Supernatural, a.k.a. the VR fitness app it acquired. The move is part of the company's broader restructuring effort within the division. It also follows a larger round of job cuts earlier this year, which also affected the Reality Labs team.

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Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup - 2/4- 2/10

Disney and Epic Games team up to craft new 'games and entertainment universe'

Google’s Bard AI tool to reportedly get a Gemini makeover

Apple’s spatial audio royalty shift sparks controversy among indie labels

AI features are coming to OnePlus 11 and 12 phones in China

Pixel 8 series gets Circle to Search

Two fees, one game: 'Final Fantasy XIV' on Xbox

YouTube has an Apple Vision Pro app in the works

Android Auto now adds 3D buildings to navigation by default

Apple’s Vision Pro VR headset improves Personas to make them more realistic 

Google's Bard makes way for Gemini

Windows 11's major update arrives this year, not Windows 12

Trudeau slams Bell Media layoffs, citing harm to local journalism

Trudeau slams Bell Media layoffs, citing harm to local journalism

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Prime Minister Trudeau blasted BCE Inc.'s layoffs at Bell Media, including cuts to local newscasts and radio stations, calling it a "garbage decision." He expressed his anger at a press conference, citing a $140 million decline in Bell Media's advertising revenue and $40 million in annual news division losses.

Bell Media announced on Thursday it would end multiple television newscasts and other programming following its parent company's job cuts. It also put on sale 45 of its 103 regional radio stations.

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Spotify announces third round of layoffs this year, affecting 1,500 workers

Photo: @felipepelaquim / Unsplash

Spotify will cut 1,500 jobs, its third round of layoffs this year, CEO Daniel Ek said Monday. He said the music-streaming company needs to slash costs and boost efficiency in a tough economy. The layoffs are part of a big strategy shift that will take Spotify back to its startup roots after a spending spree increased its subscribers but not its profits.

Affected staff will get about five months of severance pay. Spotify, which has more than 9,000 employees, followed other tech giants in reducing headcount as the global economy slowed.

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